


the things we cannot bear to see

by 8the_cat_chemist_doctor8



Series: pjo/tkc/hoo/mgca/toa made me a mythology trash bi [1]
Category: Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard - Rick Riordan, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Alex has vulnerability issues, Alex knows she's/he's in love with Magnus here just trying to come to terms with it, Book 3: The Ship of the Dead (Magnus Chase), Extended Scene, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Idiots in Love, Light Angst, M/M, Missing Scene, Mutual Pining, Not A Fix-It, Other, Overprotective, Poetry, Spoilers, Unreliable Narrator, Vulnerability, Worry, magnus is emotionally nearsighted, oneshots ?, they're so fucking oblivious holy shit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 17:22:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 21,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27260404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/8the_cat_chemist_doctor8/pseuds/8the_cat_chemist_doctor8
Summary: In ship of the dead there were Magnus/Alex scenes that I feel like were either rushed over by our dear old uncle rick, and also scenes that I could imagine the pining on Alex's part too because it was just SO clear.Point is, here's some scenes I wanted to expand or add Alex's perspective to.Also some bonus chapters (so like one shots) that are mostly fluffy..Summary/tags for bonus chapters:Chap 3 - Sam and Alex beating up islamaphobes and homophobes (it's mostly Alex)Chap 8 - Spicy touch starved AlexChap 9 - Morning cuddles, soft MagnusChap 10 - Angsty Alex having an extended mental breakdown over RagnarokChap 12 - Alex pretends to be the goose from untitled goose gameChap 14 - Mallory has fatphobic trauma flashbacks and Alex drags her ass out of it in a quintessentially Alex fashion
Relationships: Magnus Chase/Alex Fierro
Series: pjo/tkc/hoo/mgca/toa made me a mythology trash bi [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2108916
Comments: 80
Kudos: 151





	1. oh, the irrationality of worry !

**Author's Note:**

> Eyo people, so.... I mentally promised myself not to do any more riordanverse fics after the fact the ones I published both bombed, not that I care but idk ig  
> SDFSDFS I said this and then this fic turns out to be one of my most popular fics second to my fluffy Merlin oneshot... lmaooooo
> 
> so me writing more pjo fic right after that is just 'wow I'm such a clown' 
> 
> I know if you're here you've probably read the warning that this is ship of the dead spoilers so here's my plan for what this is going to include: 
> 
> 1\. Alex rushing Magnus back to Valhalla after being mortally wounded in the bay with Percy ✔️  
> 2\. The training scene with Sam where Alex volun-told Magnus to help her/him train Sam  
> 3\. Alex briefly watches Magnus sleep before waking him from Magnus dreaming about her/him  
> 4\. In which when Magnus heals, his friends see his memories too (Café 19 healing memory)  
> 5\. Alex's perspective from when they return from Alfheim (Alex was DEFINITELY worried)  
> 6\. The infamous Niflheim scene (from Alex's perspective)  
> 7\. Alex's heart is aching  
> 8\. Alex plays hard to get  
> 9\. Alex and Magnus become parents to a bunch of homeless kids 
> 
> There may be bonus if y'all are feeling lucky ;)
> 
> I love these two ngl but I also hope I can update as much as I can, I have stuff to do irl lmao

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good song for this would be 'I Won't Say I'm in Love' from the Hercules movie or 'The Mighty Fall' by Fall Out Boy

Alex had been having a good day, really. He also was surprisingly enjoying Magnus's Greek cousin's company, and it helped that the sun was a relief after weeks in Valhalla with not much natural sunlight. The dock was mostly empty, the water glittering in the sun from where it made waves against the dock. The railing that kept people from falling or diving into the dock hot with the burning sun. If Alex focused enough, he could see the red on Magnus's cheeks from having spent far too much time in the sun. 

Honestly, he hadn't really been much paying attention to Annabeth Chase from where they watched from the deck. He only really offered the occasional joke or throwaway comment. He was a bit too worried about Magnus for that. They had, however, just finished a conversation about a dude called 'Will Solace' who was a bit like Magnus considering he could heal, glow and was summery. 

Annabeth was blonde- her hair glowing in the sun. Alex could see where Magnus got his lovely golden locks from. Magnus's shade of blonde was different to Annabeth's, a difference he guessed was in Frey's genes versus Athena's genes. Her grey eyes seemed to study his very soul analytically. Their personalities were jarringly different, but they had the same kind and bright soul. 

Still, Alex's favourite Chase would be Magnus. ~~Not that he's biased or anything.~~

Percy had said something earlier about 'jumping off a ship' practice, which was almost enough to send him into anaphylactic shock had he been allergic to Magnus being in danger. He had spent most of the morning worrying Annabeth's boyfriend was serious, and waiting for it to occur. Not that he was worried for Magnus's sake, of course. 

And also Alex had promised Blitzen he'd return Magnus in one piece, too...

Obviously, as Alex was accustomed to from a society which insisted on being mostly cisgender, he had originally been worried about being misgendered by Magnus's greek-side family; but it thankfully hadn't been a problem. 

Either way, Alex was straining his neck a lot looking up at the deck of the ship, glancing up at least every now and then if not most of the time, to ensure Magnus had not died yet. 

"So, how's Valhalla then?" Annabeth asked, trying to make nice. 

Alex glanced at her. "It's alright. Pretty normal everyday dying type of thing." He joked. Annabeth laughed.

"Magnus said you guys do everything to the death, right?" she asked politely.

Alex laughed amiably in reply. Something in his chest sighed in frustration. He didn't like the whole 'do things to the death' thing in Valhalla, it was painful, but he had long since accepted that it was supposed to be a test of fighting skill. "Yes, we do. It can be really annoying, because sometimes I'll be in the middle of pottery and get killed." he complained. 

The conversation abruptly ended when Magnus stepped right off the edge of the ship. 

"Shit-" Alex swore, shocked and looking at Annabeth. 

Annabeth was tense, but casual. It was obvious she trusted Percy with her cousin. 

Alex, however did not. 

For a moment, Alex relaxed, thinking ' _oh, well I'll see him at dinner. It'll be fine_.' and then he realised that this was _not_ Valhalla and this death would be permanent. 

"Magnus!" he shouted, practically climbing the railing. 

Magnus disappeared under the waves with a loud crack. 

Alex counted the seconds between breaths, trying to keep himself from scrambling over the rail if he could help it. 

_1... He'll be fine. Maggie has a thick skull._

_2..._

_3... He's fine. He has to be. He's going to swim up here, cocky and all, and I'll bash his head in for scaring me like that._

_4..._

Then he snapped, his body shaking from the restraint of his worry. Percy was looking more concerned by the minute and Annabeth had only slightly realised this _may_ be a problem. 

Alex was the first to move, considering the happy couple were a bit shocked. He shape-shifted into a dolphin mid way on his leap into the waves below, panic coursing through his very veins. 

_Please not be dead, please not be dead, please not be dead, please not be dead-_

Alex searched the waves, wishing Magnus could do that glowing thing because this damn sea is like a coffin in itself-

 _'I didn't get to tell him'_ A small voice in Alex's mind supplied helpfully, and a new level of distraught washed over him as he searched more frantically. 

_No. That idiot isn't allowed to die without me telling him how I-_

Finally, a light in the deeper end caught Alex's eye. 

_Got you, Beantown._

Alex shifted into a manta ray, hoping that would help shoulder Magnus's now weak body to the surface. 

He found that the manta ray was a good idea, but he made special care not to let Magnus near his barbed tail as he shouldered Magnus and pushed him to the surface with all his might. 

_Oh Odin, I hope he hasn't run out of air-_

Alex knew that CPR must be the first thing they did on the surface when he stopped being able to feel Magnus's pulse. His own pulse was thudding in his chest in panic. 

Percy made himself known by diving down to help lift Magnus to the surface after getting over his shock, changing the currents and relieving the water pressure as they didn't want Magnus to deal with busted lungs on top of whatever injuries the fall had given him. 

When they got the surface, Alex shape-shifted back to his human form and glared as Annabeth tried to crowd Magnus's space. 

"His pulse is weak." Alex announced, after frantically checking. "He probably has a gallon of water stuck in his lungs." Alex was no healer, but this much was obvious to him. 

"Let me deal with it." Percy offered immediately, stepping towards where Alex was knelt next to Magnus's head.

Alex frowned, not moving. "Dude, you've got a girlfriend." 

Percy looked very confused. "I can move water."

 _Oh_. 

"Well, get on with it then." Alex berated, moving aside. He had half a mind to growl at Percy, as this was all his fault, but he couldn't give into the protective urge that was gripping him to his bones without being unhelpful to Magnus so he set it aside. 

Percy raised his arms and the water flew out of Magnus's mouth. Magnus coughed violently, clearly still alive. Alex definitely didn't have to cover up his relief. Absolutely not. 

"Owwwwwww-" Magnus complained. Alex was sure he would've been shouting in pain, but at this point Magnus was numb. "I think-" Magnus paused with a long grimace. "I've broken all my bones." 

"Can you heal them?" Alex asked, praying that it wasn't as bad as Alex could tell it was. While Annabeth and Percy hadn't been around Magnus that long, Alex had seen him die on the battlefield many times in Valhalla. He had become attuned to the way the flashes of pain sparkled in his eyes and the tight, clenched lines around his mouth indicated extreme pain. 

There was a moment of silence, and a slight film of glowing light from Magnus that lit hope in Alex before Magnus replied. "Nope. Fairly sure I'm," Magnus took a rattling breath to steady himself from the waves of extreme pain. "bleeding out internally." 

Alex didn't really care at this point what Magnus's greek cousins had to say, they talked at him as he scooped up Magnus, who was now very delirious from pain, into his arms, Magnus's legs hooked over his right elbow and his head cradled against his left shoulder. Although Alex knew it was ridiculous, he gave Percy a cold look before shapeshifting into a dragon and taking off. 

He wasn't as panicked now, considering he knew Magnus's state of health and what he had to do to help. Alex just focused on bringing Magnus back to Valhalla, eyes focused on the horizon where the hotel's roof of golden shields was now slowly coming into view. 

"You're really warm." Magnus babbled deliriously from his spot cradled in Alex's dragon arms. 

Despite it all, that brought a small smile onto his face. 

"Well, how the tables have turned." he replied gently. 

"Hmph." Magnus huffed petulantly. Alex felt slightly warm from how Magnus was cute when he was delirious, but it was overridden and snuffed out by his worry and concern. 

Those were _not_ going to be Magnus's last words. Not if Alex could help it. 

It was a relief when Alex managed to set Magnus down in his bed on floor nineteen in Valhalla- Alex had felt Magnus's pulse and life drifting away like the clouds slowly drifting around them on the flight back. 

Still, Alex was frazzled. Despite knowing Magnus would be back- resurrected due to Valhalla's magic, Alex had already worked himself up into a frenzy of worry. 

_What if because he was injured outside Valhalla he won't get resurrected?_

Alex paced anxiously outside Magnus's room, tearing up the carpet waiting for the resurrection until Mallory had gently directed him back to his own room. Mallory seemed to know that he needed someone to tear him away from Magnus's room or he'd worry himself to death or make a fool of himself. 

Mallory, bless her, had let him hug her as tightly as he could. Alex was shaking violently, but he wasn't sure what from. Residual panic? Worry ? The fact he had felt so helpless there for a while? His wet clothes?

Alex didn't know why this was hitting him so badly, usually he just laughed it off. This kind of thing had happened to him before, where he had nearly died and was dragged back to Valhalla by Sam where then he was fine. 

It was mostly the force of Mallory's calming motherly gestures that he managed to stop shaking for the most part. Alex was still shaky, but it wasn't the same as the shakes that wracked his body earlier. 

Only after Alex had calmed down thirty minutes later did Magnus stroll into Alex's room uninvited, looking frustrated with himself. Alex had to fight the urge to run over and hug him. 

He did, however, punch Magnus in the arm. 

"Ow!" Magnus complained, scrunching his face up in pain. "What was that for?!"

"Almost fucking dying." Alex retorted grumpily. "Did your mother ever tell you that if your friend jumps off a cliff you shouldn't too?" 

Magnus pouted. "Percy was just trying to teach me how to fall correctly." 

"No, he was teaching you how to die correctly. There's a difference." Alex sighed, keeping himself from growling at Magnus. He didn't want to show how much he was worried to Magnus, because he would tease him relentlessly about it. ~~Also because that would tell Magnus how he felt about him and he wasn't ready for that discussion.~~

"Anyway, Annabeth and Percy are probably expecting us and worried." Magnus put out there uncomfortably, obviously trying to change the subject.

Alex almost wanted to say _No, we're not going back there, Magnus. You better stay here where I hauled your ass so you wouldn't die or I'll send you to Helheim my-fucking-self._

But he knew that they had to go back, and he didn't want to test whether Annabeth was willing to kill him for hiding her cousin away when he could be dead for a second time. 

Alex sighed. "Alright. Let's go back and see them again." 

Mallory sent a conspiratorial wink his way as they left. Alex didn't want to think about what conclusions Annabeth and Percy had come to about his feelings towards Magnus after his display over overprotective behaviour back there, but he forced himself to pretend he didn't care. 


	2. Being Volun-told is not the same as Volunteering, Alex!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The training scene with Sam where Alex volun-told Magnus to help her/him train Sam
> 
> Song for this: Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) by ABBA

"Let's go, Chase," Alex announced. "We're running Samriah through her paces. I'm going to teach her how to defy Loki even if it kills us. And by _us_ , I mean you." 

Alex wasn't sure about this plan. The last time Magnus had trained outside Valhalla with Percy he had almost got himself killed, and Alex had almost bashed his head in from making her worry so much. But if they trained here, miles and miles from Valhalla, there would be no do-over for mistakes. At the same time, she recognised how dearly Sam needed it. 

"Why does it have to be me?" Magnus complained, seeming completely on board with the idea despite his complaints. The man had no sense of self-preservation whatsoever, and cared about his friends lives more than his own. It's probably what made Alex like him so damn much. But also it was also one of his most irritating qualities, especially if Alex was trying to save his life or stop him from doing something that would also endanger him.

"Because coaches don't play, Maggie." Alex teased, grinning. Magnus was grumbling, stumbling around on the deck still half asleep and searching for a bagel or falafel. 

Alex let Magnus go chase his breakfast. She knew that the combination of her own charm and wanting to help Sam would draw him back to help, no matter if he didn't want to do it. Not that she was over confident in her womanly charms or anything, just that Sif's remarks about Magnus's staring had opened her eyes to the fact Magnus was in the very least attracted to her. And that she could use it against him when she felt like it. She didn't hold out hope that that influence would hold after the gruelling training session she had planned out for the both of them, though.

Alex imagined that Magnus would start cursing at her and complaining, drenched in sweat and his hair dangling in his face turned darker blonde by the water that had soaked into his hair. She would take the time to admire his lean figure and the way the shirt stuck to his chest, making sure Magnus knew she was looking, before easing his sword out of his grip with both hands, watching that tanned expanse of exposed neck as he gulped and blushed the way he did when she got a bit too close to him in his personal space bubble. She'd have to keep herself from pushing closer, from chasing the bob of his Adam's apple while he gulped - heat rising in her chest at the thought. Alex imagined his voice falter while cursing her, before she stepped away, happy with the state of emotionally dishevelled she had left him in. He would stare after her as she strutted away.

"Alex? You ready?" Sam asked, shattering her daydream as she approached where Alex perched on the bow of the ship. 

Alex glanced at the plan she had made on her clipboard in her lap to centre herself. "Yeah. Let's start." 

Magnus sat at the mast of the ship, chomping on some slightly stale falafel he'd found in the food stash in the hull, following her orders and calling out animal names. 

Alex really tried to make this a challenge for Sam, despite the twinge of apology she had for her sister. But Alex knew she had to test her, challenge her, and push her to her limits so Sam could learn. 

When Alex was tired from shapeshifting for an extended period of time, they took a break to change Sam's fighting partner to Magnus. Not that she couldn't take an hour's worth of shape-shifting without tiring (she was just putting all her effort into this), but it was a bit like handling wet clay- after a while it would stop responding to the potter's shaping and harden regardless of what you did. 

While Alex paced around, double checking her clipboard and writing down remarks about how she thought Sam had improved and where she could do better at, she had pretended not to notice Magnus's long study of her outfit. 

The rest of the evening was nice for Alex, mostly. She got a nice view of Magnus in action. (It was _always_ important one had pretty things to look at when possible, Alex thought.) She had also worked on Sam's shape-shifting timing with a clicker. Alex had watched, delighted as Sam shape-shifted at a moment's notice with more and more ease. 

That was called _'killing two birds with one stone,_ ' if you asked her. 

There was a few instances where Alex panicked, thinking Magnus had wiped out and killed himself. It took a lot to keep Magnus from noticing her trembling hands as she tried to take control of the situation once again. Her hands white with the effort of restraint and fear, gripping the clipboard rather than trying to irrationally triple check if Magnus was okay. 

Alex also panicked when her sister got banged up by Magnus when she shifted into a parrot, but with her sister it was clear she wasn't grievously harmed very quickly. 

Later, they had had a drink of water (Sam not included because of Ramadan) and they had sighed over the fact Sam couldn't drink water when she so obviously needed it. 

Alex tried to assure Sam that she was slowly getting better at shape-shifting, and that Alex finally felt surer that Sam may be able to resist Loki. Alex mentioned she was glad that Magnus hadn't died to calm her trembling hands, and smiled to herself briefly when he thanked her and blushed slightly. 

She didn't fulfil her daydream from earlier, but she still appreciated the view. She couldn't bring herself to, despite the fact that the worry of ' _oh gods what if he dies and he never knows_ ' was constantly circling around her head and torturing her. 

But the clay of these feelings hasn't yet been left to harden. Doubt filled Alex when she thought of any sort of confession- the trauma of the last time she was vulnerable still ever-presently on her mind. 

Alex could live with the worry. She'd have to. There's no way Magnus would feel for her the way she did for him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Alex rushing Magnus back to Valhalla after being mortally wounded in the bay with Percy ✔️  
> 2\. The training scene with Sam where Alex volun-told Magnus to help her/him train Sam ✔️  
> 3\. Alex briefly watches Magnus sleep before waking him from Magnus dreaming about her/him  
> 4\. In which when Magnus heals his friends see his memories too (Café 19 healing memory)  
> 5\. Alex's perspective from when they return from Alfheim (Alex was DEFINITELY worried)  
> 6\. The infamous Niflheim scene (from Alex's perspective)  
> 7\. Alex's heart is aching  
> 8\. Alex plays hard to get  
> 9\. Alex and Magnus become parents to a bunch of homeless kids


	3. (bonus) fuck islamophobia and homophobia, periodt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is bonus ig? not part of the plan so if u don't wanna read it that's fine 
> 
> I'm mad let's write Alex, Magnus and Sam beating up homophobes and islamophobes  
> TW for those subjects ofc but this is catharsis...
> 
> TW: tr*ny is used, I'll censor it when it occurs too. Just used as emphasis, feel bad even writing it :/

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These people in my English class went on a rant about how they think 'being gay is a mental disorder' and one of them was rlly fucking islamophobic and went on a rant about it in relation to my muslim bi friend so fuck them I'm writing fic about amazing pan, genderfluid and muslim characters they can go fuck themselves.
> 
> I don't think I'm in the right headspace to be writing a tender moment so fuck that, 'start a riot' on full blast let's beat some bigots up  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNRC137o0j8

It was a calm day, one that deserved its true deference. It deserved romanticising and poems written about it. 

People were drinking coffee happily and enjoying their afternoon- and so were our favourite trio, Alex, Magnus and Sam. 

Of course, it hadn't been their plan to trash the outside seating area of that Starbucks, it just... happened.

Let's take a rewind. Sam and Alex had been calmly waiting for Magnus to return with scones and coffee, chatting about various things. At this very moment, Alex had been excitedly discussing her latest pottery project. She'd been experimenting with magical pottery more frequently recently, with the help of Hearthstone, Blitzen and Magnus. Although Magnus wasn't actually needed to help, he just hung around to enjoy the company. Alex always joked he was the decorative piece of the room. She didn't really mean it in an objectifying way, though. More as a compliment, and she understood Magnus knew that.

"Honestly, I don't know what she was thinking?" a blonde headed jock sighed. "She's gay and muslim? Don't they like, stone people for being gay?" 

Sam and Alex overhead the man in a lapse in their conversation. Sam and Alex stiffened, the silence becoming permanent as they eyed each other in way of communication as they both listened. A silent understanding passed between them. 

His lady friend laughed. "Yeah, honestly I think she has some mental disorder thing happening."

"Me too, and she also like... uses being muslim as an excuse for things? Saying 'my god is the same as your god.'" the blonde conversed bitterly. "Like, no they're not. How can she be muslim and gay? That literally is a contradiction, so I don't see how she can sit there and lecture me about religion." 

The other woman just nodded, understanding. 

"Like, I'm not the one with the mental disorder." the blonde man finished, thinking himself smart. 

The woman nodded, agreeing. "No, she is." 

Sam and Alex both caught each other's eye again, the gaze between them steely and angry. Sam's knuckles were red from where they were clenched around the corner of the table. All they understood was that these two were talking homophobic and islamophobic shit about a girl who was gay and muslim. 

Alex looked like she was going to get up, an angry tremor in her hands as she was undoing her garrotte from its place in her belt loops. 

_No, violence is not the answer._ Sam signed to Alex, putting a hand out at the end in warning and an arresting gesture. 

_I don't care._ Alex signed back, standing from her chair- her garrotte free and wrapped in her hands. 

Sam signed something in return, but Alex just ignored it, choosing to walk towards the pair of friends that seemed to think that talking trash about minority communities and friends was a good hobby to have in their spare time.

Sam sighed. She decided on the spot that she'd have to join her sister in her confrontation of the couple, otherwise Alex would get herself killed. Sam came up behind Alex, a hand on her axe. 

"Sorry, I couldn't help but overhear what you were talking about." Alex stated simply, her voice somewhat simpering and bellying the promise of violence that only Sam picked up. It was all too innocent of an introduction. 

"Yes?" the woman replied, confused. Her shoulder length black hair swishing as she turned to look at Alex. 

"Well, you see. I happen to see many flaws in your argument," Alex started, a wolfish quality to her innocent smile, clearly barrelling into what she wanted to say but trying to appear sophisticated about it so she wasn't immediately shot down. "I happen to be of completely sound mind. Being gay was actually declassified as a mental disorder years ago." 

The couple were a bit shocked. "What were you doing listening to our conversation anyway, tr*nny?" The blonde man demanded. 

"Well, you weren't being very quiet about it." Alex retorted back. "And it's gender fluid, actually." Alex added angrily. 

"What we talk about is none of your business." The dark haired woman stated firmly. She obviously was trying to halt the conversation where it was. 

"I think it is," Sam added, staring the woman down and drawing attention to herself. She glared at the short haired blonde man with the Australian accent. "I believe you had something to say about Islam?" she asked politely, her tone making it clear that this was in no way a friendly question.

The man gulped, before catching himself. He seemed to remember that he didn't need to be scared of a muslim, since he seemed to consider himself and his morals above Sam's.

"Yes. I don't see how you can compare your god to our christian god. You all play the victim all the time, not realising that people who are christian also get grief for being christian." Short-haired blonde man asked, seeming confident in himself.

This time, Alex had to be the one to keep Sam from flying at him.

"I think you should close your mouth." Alex sniffed as if taking a whiff of something particularly foul smelling. "It would definitely stop everyone else from smelling the _shit_ that comes out of it."

The short-haired blonde man stood up, angry and trying to get into Alex's face. Alex was shorter than the man, but that didn't change the fact that she was scary when she wanted to be. 

"What the _fuck_ did you just say to me?" he asked, raising his voice a bit. 

Sam pulled her axe from her belt. "I think she means, you don't know what you're talking about, _sir_." 

"This maniac just thought he could insult me? I'm a good citizen, I'm not out here planning _terror_ attacks! I'm not _abnormal_." he spat, pushing Alex back with both his hands in a confrontational way. 

Alex looked, anger shining in her eyes at Sam as if to confirm ' _I didn't start it, this is technically defence_.' Sam nodded. Sam never liked to _start_ fights with mortals if she could help it, but she did like to end them. 

"The only terror attack we're planning is your face after this." Sam said brusquely, whipping the man with the flat side of her axe. Alex couldn't help thinking it was more than he deserved. 

Alex swooped in a moment later, garrotte at the ready- she caught the man as he fell, landing a strong punch to the nose, a satisfying crack resounding through the air. Alex's fist came away bloody. 

No one was paying attention to the rest of the cafe crowd. The crowd were watching, confused and worried, but otherwise ignorant about it. Perhaps the glamour was working.

"Hey, get away from my friend!" the dark haired woman shouted, rushing in to try break up the fight. "What happened to free speech? Mean anything to you thugs?" 

Alex growled, "Free speech is all fine and good until you start talking shit about my sexuality and gender, and my sister's religion, fuckwad!" She tried to latch her garrotte around the woman, but Sam got to fighting her first. 

The darker haired girl went down with a judo flip and judo hold from Sam. She struggled and sputtered, but Sam glared her into submission. It was clear neither Sam or Alex were backing down any time soon. 

"Your friend is incorrect. You really need to do your research before talking about things you don't understand." Sam said succinctly. "Islam is a peaceful religion, the only terror attacks are from those who are radicalised. Not only that, terror attacks happen all the time in this country. But because they're by white Americans, you label them as 'mentally disturbed' rather than what they truly are." 

The woman was angry, but wisely said nothing.

"Also, you should really check the DSM 5, the official mental disorder handbook, being gay is not a mental disorder and trans people aren't mentally disturbed either. According to official science." Alex lectured, crouching over the subdued woman. 

"Another thing, my sister here is gender fluid and her boyfriend is pansexual. If I, as a muslim woman, had an issue with that I would have expressed it already. Islam has always supported science, dating back to the Baghdad House of Wisdom. Current science suggests these things are not disorders or unnatural, and even if I did disagree with it, I would in the very least be respectful. It's not up to me to push my religious values onto everyone else." Sam finished, satisfied with her lecture. 

"So next time, close your mouth." Alex threatened, and promptly knocked the woman unconscious. 

Sam looked at Alex with a disgruntled expression. "You didn't have to." 

"I did and you know it. I don't know when the police is going to show up, or if they've been called. It's a good idea to not have her run to call the police." Alex sighed. 

Magnus chose that time to show up, barely batting an eye about the unconscious bodies on the floor. 

"Hey, here's your scones," Magnus grinned, passing Sam her scones and coffee. He kept the rest of the bought goodies from Starbucks in his hands, his eyes shining with laughter as Alex shot him a confused look. 

"What about mine?" Alex pouted.

"Your hands are bloody. You can have yours later." Magnus pointed out.

Alex remembered her hands, which were indeed bloody with nose bleed blood. 

"What happened?" Magnus finally asked. 

"Homophobes happened. We should leave." Alex sighed, letting Sam take a moment to put her axe back on her belt. Magnus gave Alex a worried look, but Alex just mouthed _later_ and left it at that. 

And with that, they found their way to Hotel Valhalla to escape the scene. The police didn't believe them when they said they got beat up by a person matching Alex's description, considering Alex was dead. The rest of their lives they wondered if they'd been beaten up by ghosts. The woman had changed her stance on the LGBTQ+ and islamic communities, even just slightly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sdfsd google kept giving me 'we're noticing weird traffic coming from ur computer let's see if ur a robot' messages because I kept looking up violent synonyms and things like that I hope I don't get tagged for weird activity


	4. News Flash: Alex is ALSO a simp

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex briefly watches Magnus sleep before waking him from Magnus dreaming about her/him.  
> This is from chapter 16, where Magnus dreams about Alex's father kicking her out. 
> 
> I hope it's as tender as I wanted it to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two posts one day? damn y'all lucky 
> 
> Magnus vibes for this from his side: loving is easy (Rex Orange County) 
> 
> Alex vibes for this from her side: let me down slowly (Alec Benjamin) 
> 
> Basically:  
> Magnus: soft  
> Alex: a n g s t
> 
> Bonus, what I was consuming when I wrote this: gyoza and lemon elderflower soda

Magnus slept on the deck of the ship. 

Alex wished she wasn't sure why, and wished it was rather a quirk of Magnus's she didn't understand. 

But she did. Magnus had told her about his mother, and how they used to camp outside a lot. That, combined with a dislike of the indoors, and his couple of years of sleeping on the streets had led to his position on the corner of the deck in a sleeping bag under the stars. 

Magnus looked, for all intents and purposes, like a mini glowing star that had taken up residence on their deck. Alex wasn't sure why, but every now and again Magnus would glow in his sleep. It was only now, as she watched him toss and turn, that she realised it could be an involuntary response to nightmares. 

Alex had had quite a few of her own recently. Her mother, Loki, calling out to her in her sleep, taunting her, demeaning her, trying to insult her into smallness. The one dark place she'd swore never to go again. 

There had been many a moment where she'd woken up shaking, hugging herself and glancing around her room for even the smallest comfort. Alex remembered the day Magnus had healed Amir's mind- sometimes she wished he could heal her mind that way too. But she couldn't bring herself to voluntarily be vulnerable like that. Not yet. 

That wasn't really her only problems in life, the current task from the gods and her fatherly trauma also weighed on her mind. 

Sometimes she wished she could sleep on the deck too. But that would show her hand. She wasn't ready for those sort of questions yet. She could live with just watching.

So she stayed up. Pretended to sleep not to worry anyone until she could pass out from exhaustion without dreams. It was the only way she could control them. While tired, she felt at ease. Alex felt she was taking a leaf out of Sam's book. It was surprisingly working. 

She watched the waves, staring unseeingly as they splashed and receded against the hull of the ship. 

Alex couldn't help but look at him. She didn't want to be those cringy Bella from Twilight type people, but... it was hard _not_ to stare. 

Magnus shivered, glowing for a moment before a hand reached up, reaching for the sky. The arm weakened and fell, as if realising how useless it was. 

"Yeah, me too Beantown." Alex sighed. She wished she could do something for his nightmares. But she didn't have Magnus's healing powers, and even if she did- she wouldn't invade his privacy like that. She'd been through that far too many times at the hands of her father. 

But Alex had been down that tearstained road too many times. Since Magnus was in a position not to look at her back, Alex ignored her trauma and looked her fill. 

Since Alex had been cutting his hair, Magnus had slight curls around his face where the hair framed it. It wasn't present here, because his hair was spread out over the pillow in a way that was achingly messy and vulnerable- but it was endearing. Alex couldn't study Magnus's eyes, because they were closed, but she was glad she couldn't. Magnus always looked at her as if she had all the answers in the universe. Like she was the sun, and his world revolved around it as if he himself wasn't the actual embodiment of a sun. Alex has never been sure how to deal with it. 

Magnus had nice arms, they were toned but lean- not too bulky. They always gave Alex the impression of a 'smart farmers boy with a bright and promising future' type of guy. Alex noticed Magnus's green hoodie had ridden up in his sleep, and Alex could just see the barest hint of a belly button in the flat expanse of an abdomen. She snorted a short laugh- of course he's got an outie. It was in her experience that those with bright personalities tended to have an outside belly button. 

Magnus still wore his sneakers, which he seemed comfortable sleeping in. Alex knew that he had learnt he had to be, living on the streets. Alex had had to get used to it as well. It was weird to sleep without them now. 

As Alex watched, Magnus rolled over and dry retched off the side of the ship. Alex was startled out of her thoughts, a crimson blush staining her cheek at how long she'd been looking. 

_Was Magnus awake?_

Alex wasn't sure until he rolled right over and she caught a glimpse of his closed eyes. She sighed in relief. 

Magnus was crying now, tears escaping his closed eyes as easily as one rushes to escape a crowded room. After a while he was glowing more intermittently, as if there were constant but failing attempts to heal. 

"It's ok." Alex whispered from her distance on the deck, as if this soothing but aching whisper could do as much healing Magnus does on a daily basis. Magnus had been asleep for a long time, and Alex had alternated between brooding with the waves and watching the flickers of light Magnus produced dancing on his tan skin.

It was coming up on morning when Sam came aboard deck.

"Early, are we?" Sam asked, obviously amused. Alex sighed. Sam was probably about to tease her for staring. 

"Didn't sleep very well." Alex lied, looking put out as she stared at the waves. 

"But you seem to have had a nice night." Sam teased, her right eyebrow raised as she looked between Magnus's sleeping form and Alex. 

Alex wasn't sure whether to confirm or deny that assumption, so she kept silent. 

"You know he likes you too, right?" Sam supplied into the quiet that had only been broken by the sound of the waves. 

"I don't..." Alex sighed. "I don't know. I don't know what's up and what's down, right now. On one hand, there's evidence for that, on the other hand..." Alex stopped herself, unsure if she wanted to go through her trauma.

"On the other hand what? He clearly has it bad, sister." Sam teased, but kindly. Sam sensed there was something else to this that she didn't understand. 

"The last time I allowed myself to hope like that..." Alex stopped, gulping down truths and emotions that threatened to spill out of her as well. "Let's say that it didn't go so well." 

Sam sighed, understanding. While Sam had no experience with the trauma that came with being LGBTQ+, and more importantly, trans, she sympathised with her reluctance all the same. "Alex..." Sam admonished softly. She brought her sister in for a hug which Alex gratefully accepted. "I understand. Take all the time you need. I'm sure he'd wait for you." 

Alex nodded, somewhat tearfully, from her place buried in Sam's hijab. She smelt of the home Alex had found with Floor 19- falafel, jasmine and the warm summer sun. The safety of it all moved her to watery eyes and a feeling of acceptance that didn't seem to fit her chest. It grew fiercely in the turmoil of her past struggles. 

"However, I will remind you," Sam said sternly, breaking the hug to look into Alex's eyes. "That that boy would follow you to the ends of the nine worlds, no questions asked. No matter what your brain tries to tell you, okay?" she finished with a small knowing smile. 

Alex's smile was watery, Sam's words warming her heart. "Thanks Sam." She wiped away a stray tear and looked away. 

The conversation lapsed in the way that it only does between siblings who knew they had nothing left to say but knew there was more to be said with the emotional silence than anything that could've been said with words.

"So what are we going to do about Magnus, then?" Sam asked, when she was sure the silence was over and Alex had composed herself again.

"I don't know, there's not much happening." Alex shrugged. "Let's give him a few more hours and consider waking him later, he looks like he needs it." 

"Good idea." Sam replied, smiling at Alex. "You should get some rest too."

Alex tested her level of exhaustion. "I suppose I could get a couple hours." she gave in, her sister giving her the 'sisterly responsibility look' that she used when she mothered Alex. 

Because of this, Alex felt somewhat better two and a half hours later when she got up, unable to sleep any more. She found something to do to take her mind off her conversation with Sam, anything to keep herself from wallowing in the trauma. 

So when she finally made it her business to help wake Magnus up, it was to the teasing of Blitzen, Hearthstone and Sam. 

"He's having a nightmare, surely someone who knows him well should wake him up?" Sam asked the impromptu council of 'how to wake Magnus up without him pulling a sword on anyone.' 

"Well then that'd be Hearthstone." Alex suggested, in no way inviting the spotlight for knowing Magnus well. 

_I vote Alex_. Hearthstone signed, a smirk on his face. 

_Not you, too!_ Alex signed back, sighing exasperatedly. 

_I vote Alex too, I don't want a sword in my anti-sun netting._ Blitzen signed and said at the same time. 

_I vote Alex too, purely because it would make Magnus's morning better._ Sam signed, a cheeky smile on her face. 

Alex signed back, in an uncomplicated gesture that even the rest of Floor 19 understood. (Unless a middle finger meant something else in sign language, of course.) 

So, she left the group of friends who had become her family to go wake up the boy who was summer himself. 

Alex considered her options of how to wake Magnus up, and decided that the best combination was a little charm and breakfast. From there, all Alex could do is hope Jack wouldn't be meeting her neck. 

Not that she thought Magnus would kill her on accident, but Magnus did tend to startle easily. 

Thankfully, half the job was done for her when he startled awake. Alex had dropped a full canteen right next to his head, and he woke up shouting "WHAT?" 

Alex gave into the endearing urge to comfort him. "Relax, sleepy." 

When Magnus didn't respond but rather stare at her, she threw an apple at him. 

"Breakfast." Alex said. "And also lunch." 

Only then did Magnus rub his eyes of his long, nightmarish sleep. "How long was I out?" 

"About sixteen hours," she said, grinning as his eyes flickered in shock. "You didn't miss much, so we let you sleep. But now it's time." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> me today be like: https://www.tiktok.com/@girls/video/6820557321895218437 
> 
> 1\. Alex rushing Magnus back to Valhalla after being mortally wounded in the bay with Percy ✔️  
> 2\. The training scene with Sam where Alex volun-told Magnus to help her/him train Sam ✔️  
> 3\. Alex briefly watches Magnus sleep before waking him from Magnus dreaming about her/him✔️  
> 4\. In which when Magnus heals his friends see his memories too (Café 19 healing memory)  
> 5\. Alex's perspective from when they return from Alfheim (Alex was DEFINITELY worried)  
> 6\. The infamous Niflheim scene (from Alex's perspective)  
> 7\. Alex's heart is aching  
> 8\. Alex plays hard to get  
> 9\. Alex and Magnus become parents to a bunch of homeless kids


	5. the summer forest fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which when Magnus heals his friends see his memories too (Café 19 healing memory). Alex gets to see how much she/he melts Magnus into a puddle :D

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to @tobiyolo_kun bc their comments make my day 
> 
> Also Poker Face (Lady Gaga) and Positions (Ariana Grande) are both SUCH Alex songs u cannot prove me wrong 
> 
> Idk why Positions gives me such aggressive Alex vibes but maybe it's the;
> 
> 'Heaven sent you to me  
> I'm just hopin’ I don't repeat history,  
> Boy, I'm tryna meet your mama on a Sunday  
> Then make a lotta love on a Monday (Ah, ah)  
> Never need no (No), no one else, babe'
> 
> 'Perfect, perfect  
> You're too good to be true (You're too good to be true)  
> But I get tired of runnin', fuck it  
> Now, I’m runnin' with you (With you)' 
> 
> and the whole idea of duality in it? the beat ? the semi-romantic but also self confident vibes? 
> 
> Anyway, fun fact Alex made me question my gender because I've always been a very 'dual' person bc bisexuality and other 'dual' parts of my identity so I connected to the duality thing deeply and had a big mess gender crisis but apparently still cisgender oop
> 
> I got caught up reading 'Red, White and Royal Blue' and so got confused about Alex from RWRB and Alex from MCGA lmao anyway read a fic I'm back now 
> 
> This was honestly the hardest to write lmaooo but fyi I was looking at cryptid w00rm 's art for this moment while writing it go check it out it's beautiful

It was a relief when Alex caught a glimpse of Jack hovering in front of her, his wretched singing fragmenting the sounds of the fight with Hrungnir up into shreds of roaring and the _chicken dance song_ of all songs. But it put the worry of being attacked again out of her mind for a moment, and for that she was grateful to the damn sword. ~~Not that she'd admit it.~~

Alex faded in and out of consciousness, Jack's infernal singing the only real thing tying her here without the snake acid-like agonising pain sloshing through her system. All she could really see was endless black. Alex wasn't sure why... if she could just _remember_...

She used her training from Valhalla and pushed through it- she figured she was covered in clay by testing the strange feeling on her skin and... laying on the floor, arms spread wide like she was making a snow angel. But this snow angel was a pretty painful one at that. 

Pottery Barn...

...

 _Garlic Bagels_?

...

_Magnus..._

... ** _Magnus?!_**

The return of fear booted her brain back up- the slow drifting of images - no, memories, at an abrupt halt when she remembered Magnus was still out there in the battle with Hrungnir. T.J. had been near-dead last time she saw him. 

More importantly, this was decidedly _not_ how she had hoped to kick the bucket the second time.

Alex could only hear signs of struggle- another big, inhuman roar in the distance. A stomping that shook the foundations of the area. Something came out of her mouth but she wasn't too sure what it was or what she said, but it rattled and vibrated her chest all the same. It was the only thing that told her she had made a sound at all. 

She pushed through it, fighting ruthlessly to get movement to her fingers. She couldn't see. She _needed_ to see. The next milestone would be sitting up, that much Alex knew. Alex fought to open her eyes but... found she couldn't. Even with all her strength, her focus and energy. Panic arrived in full force, creeping up on her and gathering like a glass capsule breaking in a glowstick, the panic seeping intoxici- Alex pushed through it. Magnus was out there. T.J. was out there. They depended on her. She needed to-

 _Warmth_.

She could... see again?

Her eyes focused.

_This wasn't the fight at Kings Square..._

It took a while to adjust, it was so bright in what Alex figured was a memory or dream. It was hard to focus. But when her vision stabilised Alex was startled. 

_It was... her?_

It was just a vision of Alex in Café 19, whom Alex had remembered was also female in this particular memory. This specific vision she remembered she had dressed up a bit. Something about Blitzen teasing Magnus about his thing for kilts a couple days before, when they were out for falafel. Either way, she was dressed in a pastel green tartan kilt-esque skirt (a particularly short one at that) with a silver chain dangling from the pockets, a thick pastel pink crochet sweater (to make up for the chill she was feeling due to the length of the skirt) that looked admittedly cute and endearing. Alex was leaning on the table, the morning sun shining from behind her, a half finished plate of seafood paella in front of her as she was playing with her necklace. 

If Alex remembered correctly, it was the clay one she had made as a child. The first time she had ever tried to use clay artistically. Her most prized possession- a symbol of herself and her past at her core. 

She remembered that it had been a real step; trusting her newfound family on Floor 19 with wearing the necklace openly. 

The others left the table to grab their breakfasts, muttering something to them about protecting the table in the name of Floor 19. Alex moved to rest her chunky tan boots on Halfborn Gunderson's now vacant seat. Alex knew it was Halfborn Gunderson's seat but knew that that softie wouldn't mind. 

Alex remembered this, and realised this was one of Magnus's memories. She wished she could stop the memory from playing through- she would never invade his privacy like this- but she understood this was just a side effect of Magnus's healing power and had to let it play through. 

It was clear to Alex now that this was the memory she'd treasured of Magnus being dorky that morning. She remembered the small, happy thing that had uncurled in her chest like an appeased snake when she noticed how flustered Magnus had been at her outfit. If she was honest- this was the moment she figured it out. 

That she liked him. 

Sometimes she wished she never did. It's just been harder to deal with; the knowing. The waiting, the understanding that their relationship was much bigger than she originally thought it was. Something that filled the room with crackling electricity at the infinite _possibilities_ of how moments between them could go. It stole her breath the way she fantasised Magnus would with a kiss. 

Her heterochromatic eyes shined with delight as she took a bite of the paella, winking with the shining sunlight. Alex's left hand dropping the clay necklace pendant back onto her chest. 

Alex was watching Magnus thoughtfully, deep emerald hair falling in her face. She moved to tuck it behind her ear with a glint in her eye. The golden sun haloed her hair, it bent and glowed slightly around her in the morning sun- and if Alex was honest, she looked... almost _divine_. If this vision of herself was a colourless statue in an Ancient Greek museum somewhere, Alex would've called them beautiful.

Memory Alex's mouth quirked into a little smirk. It was barely there, her eyes trailing somewhere else. She remembered that she had used the paella as an excuse to gulp or not speak when the atmosphere became charged with tension of the things unsaid to stop herself from saying something regrettable. The feelings she harboured for Magnus buzzed in his ear like a collective of angry wasps.

"Could you quit gawping and eat your falafel?" Alex rolled her eyes fondly, a grin to her lips as she sat back to watch the fluster unfold. 

Alex remembered that after she asked Magnus that, a faint pink had stained his cheeks fetchingly for a moment while he grinned cheekily. Alex watched as he met her gaze. 

She watched herself through Magnus's eyes, seeing the way she stiffened when their eyes met, her breath caught and counting the seconds. _Is he going to?_ circling her thoughts, her brain, her soul- frozen with the very possibility of it.

The sad thing was, her expression looked very good on her when she saw it from Magnus's perspective. Alex would kiss that face too if it wasn't herself. She looked utterly wrecked, fighting for control for the barest of seconds before composure settled in. Alex's face was back to the stoic and divine beauty from before. 

She sighed and glanced away. 

The memory ended there. If Alex was flattered before that Magnus was attracted to her, or if she had had any doubts at all... The depth of emotion in this memory would've dispelled them immediately. The very fact that what she looked like to him was... infused with _celestial radiance_ set her soul on fire. 

As her eyes opened, and her surroundings came back to her- she banked the flames. 

This summer heat would not consume her. Not here, not now. 

"Stop that." Alex demanded brusquely. She couldn't deal with this right now. She had to help T.J, she had to win this. Alex would deal with this summer infestation later. 

"Sorry, I-" Magnus stuttered, pulling his hand away from her shoulder where she had swatted it in an endearingly appealing way. 

"My right, your left!" Alex shouted in reply, rolling the opposite way to Magnus. 

The fight was back in her. She had just another thing to fight for. 

While that terrified her, Alex knew in her heart Magnus was worth fighting to have something with. 

To her (second) very last breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lowkey obsessed w @ end.cosplay on tiktok her cosplay of Magnus is amazing!!!
> 
> 1\. Alex rushing Magnus back to Valhalla after being mortally wounded in the bay with Percy ✔️  
> 2\. The training scene with Sam where Alex volun-told Magnus to help her/him train Sam ✔️  
> 3\. Alex briefly watches Magnus sleep before waking him from Magnus dreaming about her/him✔️  
> 4\. In which when Magnus heals his friends see his memories too (Café 19 healing memory) ✔️  
> 5\. Alex's perspective from when they return from Alfheim (Alex was DEFINITELY worried)  
> 6\. The infamous Niflheim scene (from Alex's perspective)  
> 7\. Alex's heart is aching  
> 8\. Alex plays hard to get  
> 9\. Alex and Magnus become parents to a bunch of homeless kids


	6. consumed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex's perspective from when they return from Alfheim (Alex was DEFINITELY worried)
> 
> In which Alex is fucking transparent about her feelings at this point but Magnus is fucking oblivious

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> y'all!!! Biden won!!! Americans woke up and settled for the lesser of two evils!!! I'm so proud it's like watching a child mature lmaoo 
> 
> If they have a video of them dragging Trump out of the White House I'd PAY to see that sfddsfdss
> 
> I'm genuinely thinking of cutting my hair like Alex's I want her/his vibes they're fucking immaculate ?? I can't dye my hair bc I'm not allowed but 🤔 oop
> 
> Anyway enjoy the fic nm has been happening on this side of the world
> 
> update: I have found this music works well with this chapter ;) :  
> 'Everybody talks' by Neon Trees or 'Gimme Love' by Joji (happier songs)  
> 'Someone to You' by Banners (more longing but still happy- honestly captures this vibe ig)

It had been 3 days since Magnus decided to up and leave without saying ' _goodbye_ ' or ' _see you later, Alex_.'

At first she had been positively _fuming_ that she was the last person to find out that Magnus had left. The _least_ she thought Magnus could've done was swung by belowdecks to tell her not to worry and impart a beam of sunshine as compensation from his annoying fucking adorable smile. 

But no- his gay parents show up and suddenly it's all ' _see ya' losers_ ' and ' _leave the rest of the gang on a bright fucking yellow ship that doesn't even match my green and pink aesthetic that I'm enduring purely for Magnus's sake._ '

Magnus had even taken her fucking Buddy Holly glasses too. Talk about _rude_. 

So now Magnus was traversing around Alfheim with his gay elf and dwarf dads, and when he showed back up in what she hoped would be a few hours- she'd fucking kill him. ~~Or kiss him. She hadn't decided yet and that in itself was taking a lot of energy to decide. Perhaps she'd do both.~~

Alex did her chores with renewed gusto. That mop will be the first thing Magnus saw if he decided to drop back by like the boat was a fucking hotel or something. 

* * *

Alex's anger and frustration fizzled out the next day. Worry and care bubbling in his chest as he paced around the deck. He'd trained with Sam earlier, and the deck was still sweaty from it, but it hadn't been as fruitful a training session as he had hoped. Alex's shape-shifting kept getting stuck, and he was stuck as a half snake half platypus for a couple of hours. Sam had looked at him knowingly but hadn't commented. The rest of his floor mates kept giving each other annoying grins of ' _I know something you don't'_ that he would've beheaded them for if they were back in Valhalla. 

Concern and frustration pooled in the pits of his stomach as he banked the flames of the forest fire that threatened to consume him. His body alight with the depth of how much he treasured Magnus and how much he wanted him to pop back up on the deck alive. There was a background anxiety and panic of ' _what if I never see him again and my last interaction with him was-_ ' and ' _if he doesn't return I'll never have had the chance to tell him that's so unfair he'll never kno-_ ' rising like a choir in cacophony. 

He busied himself with chores once again; he scavenged a scarf for Hearthstone, he helped with the rigging and other things but his heart was not in it. Sam seemed to see that. 

"Go take a nap, Alex." She sighed, guiding the bowl away from his hands gently in the kitchen. "I'll wake you if something happens. You look like you dearly need it." 

"I just don't want to see my mother again." Alex protested, trying to grab the bowl back. He also didn't want Sam to cook dinner. It seemed cruel for her to have to cook without eating anything until after dusk fell. 

Sam made a frustrated but worried noise. "I know Alex, but you need sleep. You're working yourself into the ground worrying. Can't you see?" 

Alex reared back as if he had been slapped. Indignant protest rising in him before it was squashed just as quickly by exhaustion. Sam was right. Alex hated when she was right but she was. 

Sam put the bowl back on the counter gently, and turned to lead Alex to his room. She stayed until she was sure he was on his way to sleep. 

Alex woke up later, in the dead of night- pondering the force of the summer that had taken up residence in him. 

Worry burning like the candle of the midnight oil. His muscles tensing every step on the wooden deck above he heard. _It could be Magnus returning_. 

Just as Alex was falling asleep, it hit him idly.

_He had perhaps already let this forest fire of devotion for Magnus consume him long ago._

* * *

Alex woke to a shout on the deck. There was chatter that Alex made a conscious effort to ignore. She had stopped herself from listening to every creak of the wooden deck ages ago. It was too much emotional effort. 

It had been three days for them, all this time sailing in Midgard. If Alex was distressed before, then the state of heightened distress at how long the side-quest to Alfheim was taking three days later was definitely beyond distressed at this point. 

But then she caught a glimpse of golden light through the floorboards of the deck and she startled awake from her half sleep. 

_Magnus was back and he was alive. _

Relief shot through her, the forest fire she had so expertly tamped down rose back with a vengeance. 

She rushed to get dressed, not that she wasn't already - having wanted to sneak up and get some quiet space alone on the deck when everyone had settled into a slumber. But something in her compelled her to fix her hair, the greaser look unconsciously coming to her. This was the look that would help her convince Magnus and herself she hadn't been worried sick the past 3 days. In fact, his absence had had no effect on her at all!

But when she saw Magnus again something broke loose in her chest. Before Alex knew anything- she was shouting "Thank the gods!" with relief and affection and warmth pooling in her stomach like lava as she rushed towards Magnus. 

She had to stop herself from doing more. Perhaps hugging him or showing more affection- she could've laid her soul bare in the smallest of affectionate movements. But thankfully she then noticed the Buddy Holly glasses on Magnus's face and decided to use them as an excuse for her actions. She wanted the glasses back anyway, and he _had_ been rude about taking them in the first place. 

“My outfit wasn’t complete without these. I hope you didn’t scratch them." Alex smirked, pulling them off Magnus and decidedly ignoring the flustering realisation that Magnus was standing on the deck without his pants. She pretended to polish her glasses while studying Magnus in the reflection of them. In her gusto to pretend to care more about the glasses than she did Magnus, she missed his crestfallen expression as he had hoped she had been happy to see him before being supposedly disappointed. 

T.J., Mallory and Sam came onto the deck as well, interested in the commotion. 

“Whoa!” Sam averted her eyes. “Magnus, where are your pants?”

“Um, long story.”

“Well, put on some clothes, Beantown!” Mallory ordered. “ _Then_ tell us the story.”

When Hearth, Blitz and Magnus had recounted the story, Alex's stomach dropped. Here she had been, worried sick about Magnus and thinking it was the biggest of her problems when Hearthstone had been through _that_. 

Alex was all too familiar with failing fathers. Something inside her echoed the hurt and pain she knew Hearthstone was feeling. He didn't ask for a shit father, yet he was so compassionate about his father anyway. Alex wished she had the same forgiving grace he did in forgiving his father. Sparks of admiration flourished in her chest as she listened. She knew she could never forgive her father for his transgressions, but it was nice to know that others had found peace in the forgiveness she could not bring herself to harness. 

Sam shook her head. “Oh, Hearthstone. I am so sorry about your dad.”

The others murmured in agreement.

Hearth shrugged. _It had to be done. Magnus bore the worst of it. Tasting the heart._ Magnus winced. “Yeah, about that...I should probably tell you guys something.”

Magnus explained about the conversation he’d overheard between the two robins.

Alex Fierro snorted, then covered her mouth. “I’m sorry. It’s not funny.” She signed: _Hearth, your father, the heart. Awful. I can’t imagine._ She continued aloud: “In fact, I have something for you.”

From her pocket, she pulled a diaphanous silk scarf of pink and green. “I noticed you lost your other one.”

Hearth took the scarf like it was a holy relic. He solemnly wrapped it around his collar. _Thank you_ , he signed. _Love_.

“You bet.” Alex faced Magnus, her mouth curling in a mischievous smile. “But honestly, Magnus. You fumbled the heart. You tasted the blood. And now you’re talking to the animals—”

“I didn’t talk,” Magnus protested, sensing relentless teasing coming on. “I only listened.”

“—like Dr. Dolittle?”

T.J. frowned. “Who is Dr. Dolittle? Does he live in Valhalla?”

“He’s a character from a book.” Samirah bit a chunk off her cucumber sandwich.

Since it was nighttime, she was doing her best to eat all the ship’s food rations as fast as possible. “Magnus, any _other_ effects you’ve noticed from the heart’s blood? I’m worried about you.”

“I—I don’t think so.”

“The effects might only be temporary,” T.J. suggested. “Do you still feel weird?”

“Weirder than usual?” Alex clarified unhelpfully, a shit-eating grin on her face. This moment was _rich_. Alex felt a spark of pure delight at being able to tease him about this for _years_ to come. It was clear to her now that summer had decided to permanently root itself in her body when the temperature seemed to rise about 5 degrees with her delight. She also was interested in the fact that she could possibly communicate to him while shape-shifting. Now _that_ would be an interesting experiment. 

“No,” Magnus said. “But it’s hard to be sure. There aren’t any animals around to listen to.”

“I could turn into a ferret,” Alex offered, “and we could have a conversation.”

“Thanks anyway.” Magnus winced, a small smile of gratitude gracing his lips regardless. 

_So, no private conversations while Alex was shape shifting then? A shame._

There and then, as Alex's heart panged with the yearning to comfort him from the trauma Magnus had just endured, Alex couldn't hide it from herself any longer. She had to admit it. Own up to it the same way she had to find the strength to own up to her queerness all those years ago. 

While there was the possibility of pain, the possibility that being vulnerable about this would change everything... 

Something told her that she had the strength to endure what came next. 

Alex just had to work up the courage to try and confess before either of them kicked the bucket for the second time coming. 

The forest fire raged on in her body. But she felt no pain. This was not the fires of uncertainty that had coloured her life with her father. This was a rejuvenating fire. The type of one that devastates the forest but invites rebirth. Growth and new life. 

For the first time. Alex felt stronger at the thought of that fire ravaging her insides. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Alex rushing Magnus back to Valhalla after being mortally wounded in the bay with Percy ✔️  
> 2\. The training scene with Sam where Alex volun-told Magnus to help her/him train Sam ✔️  
> 3\. Alex briefly watches Magnus sleep before waking him from Magnus dreaming about her/him✔️  
> 4\. In which when Magnus heals his friends see his memories too (Café 19 healing memory) ✔️  
> 5\. Alex's perspective from when they return from Alfheim (Alex was DEFINITELY worried)✔️  
> 6\. The infamous Niflheim scene (from Alex's perspective)  
> 7\. Alex's heart is aching  
> 8\. Alex plays hard to get  
> 9\. Alex and Magnus become parents to a bunch of homeless kids


	7. pheonix - the uncertainty of what comes next

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The infamous Niflheim scene (from Alex's perspective)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I started reading the Kane chronicles I'm still on book one but if you don't hear from me for a month it's because I'm cheating on this fic with sapphic!Sadie Kane 
> 
> Sadie is queer no one can convince me otherwise 
> 
> also me and my friends got friendship necklaces :) I'm soft  
> Point is mine is either a gold sun or a gold star (but then again the sun is also a star ) and I can't help but muse at the symbolism and irony at it ig.   
> Also the gold chain necklace thing gives me Magnus vibes idk 
> 
> I'm going to try make the pendant chain necklace that Magnus has when I have time ! I have a specific view of what it looks like and it'd be so cool to have that lmao I haven't seen anyone try make it properly 
> 
> Song for this chap:   
> ik it's 'middle school edgy teen' basic but 'Soap' by Melanie Martinez

Alex froze quickly.

What, with being lithe and thin? She was bound to freeze within an hour of being out in the cold. ( ~~More like thirty minutes to thirty seconds, but she was in denial about that.~~ ) But the point is she didn't have an ounce of fat on her body, so it was no surprise that Alex, along with Hearthstone and Sam (who was participating in the month of Ramadan), started shivering first out of the Floor 19 gang. 

And of course, as it had somehow frequently happened lately, as soon as something bad happened her brain turned to Magnus. 

He was on the deck of the ship, wasn't he? 

_Oh gods..._

"Blitzen..." Alex started, unease colouring her shaky voice as her teeth chattered, leaning as close to the heater below decks as she dared go. "Is Magnus going to be alright..? You know, up on the deck?" 

Blitzen thought for a moment, realising with the face of someone who had forgotten something that Magnus was still upstairs. "He is the son of Frey, and so he should be fine for a while." he pointed out.

Alex's unease died as quickly as it rose. She huddled into her blankets when everyone quieted for a moment, having been comforted about their friend. 

Alex wasn't really concerned so much for Magnus's safety as she was hoping for his warmth- this blanket not doing enough for her teeth and the occasional shiver, but she decided that was not the sort of thing she was should be adding to the conversation about if she wanted to keep her affections towards the son of Frey to herself. 

_This is Niflheim, Blitzen._ Hearth signed from his spot across from Alex huddled around the heater. _Even he will not be immune for long._

There was a pause as Blitzen considered this, Hearthstone's eyes filled with concern from the bright corner he was nestled in. It was entirely possible that Blitzen wasn't sure how much protection Magnus's godly parentage would give him from the cold. 

_Niflheim will affect you, also._ Hearth signed again, a stubborn but caring look on his face as he signed in earnest. _Don't think I haven't noticed your teeth starting to chatter._ Then Hearth made a sign that Alex didn't recognise, probably because she had never had reason to use it or see it used. It looked like Hearth was hugging himself. 

Given the fact that Blitzen softened at it, Alex figured it must have been a term of endearment in sign language. Her heart warmed a little- it was good to see them happy. 

_You have a point, dear._ Blitzen reluctantly agreed, copying the term of endearment Hearthstone had used. Hearthstone looked heavenwards as if exasperated. 'Of course I have a point, I'm right' his body language seemed to say. 

It became clear to Alex that Blitzen didn't want to go get Magnus because he didn't want to leave the warmth of the lower decks. 

Hearth's expression softened too, as if he was realising that himself as well. 

_If you go bring him down here I'll give you a hug, yes?_

Blitzen chuckled, a warmth seemed to return to him as easily as air to his lungs. _All right, can't argue with that._ He signed with a weary sigh, making it seem like the decision had been long and hard to make. 

Alex laughed aloud. _To be fair, you're the logical one to send._ She clumsily signed towards Blitzen. _You're the most resistant to cold._

Blitzen gave her a faux dirty look and left to go get Magnus. 

* * *

While waking up on a freezing deck was not the best way to start his day, son of Frey or otherwise, Magnus did feel slightly warm by the time he spied Alex by the heater, practically cuddling the thing with blankets bundled around her arms and legs. 

Alex had this rumpled-ness to her- most likely because the gang had woken up quickly when the freeze had taken hold, the only person not waking up in a flash being Magnus. She was still in her green and pink pyjamas, and it was the most endearing thing Magnus had seen in a long time. He had a brief vision of her, smiling at him warmly in the bright sun and dressed like this. Affection sang through him, and he was so wrapped up in the thought he forgot to question what that meant for him. 

But as cute as her pyjamas hanging off her shoulders and green hair tangled like a birds nest look was- it wasn't going to do anything to help the insidious cold that was taking hold of all of them. 

Magnus shivered in sympathy- if _he_ thought the cold was starting to get to him, he didn't want to find out what it felt like to everyone else. 

They tried to get the ship moving again, Hearthstone's _kenaz_ rune helping barely keep the cold at bay as their futile efforts to break the ice and keep moving sputtered out, one by one like candles in a row. Blitz fretted over Hearthstone like the doting boyfriend he was as Hearthstone struggled with the effort of keeping the rune alight. 

Magnus's heart lurched in his chest every time Alex came back to the deck to rest, dripping wet and scrambling for the lower deck to dry off while violently shivering. She had the scary job of shape-shifting into animals and braving the freezing water to help push the boat along. The water would've made her core temperature drop tenfold, and made this whole situation worse. He didn't know how she could stand it.

He had to actively resist the urge to reach out to her and help her. Magnus knew his Frey-warmth wouldn't work well here, and even if it did- he wasn't sure Alex would appreciate the coddling. 

Magnus just tried to do his job of using the oars to push freed up ice away. He despaired at their fate- there wasn't any sign of shelter nearby, and sooner or later they would give out to the sheer power of the cold and ice. 

But they had to try. Magnus knew they had to- he couldn't bear the thought of his friends dying. Especially not when they're so close to the end of their quest. 

* * *

Alex wasn't worried about Magnus that much in this near death situation for once. It was a relief, really. If she died for the second time here the least she could do is find comfort in the fact that Magnus still had a chance against the horrors of the world without her. Magnus would still have the chance to keep going, the chance to stop Loki without her. 

But she wasn't going to die today. She had already died once. It wasn't fun, and she didn't plan on doing it permanently for the second time through hypothermia. 

She also couldn't die without telling Magnus she deeply cared about him. Magnus deserved that in the very least. 

Alex wasn't even sure if her feelings for Magnus were deeper than that, but all that she was sure about was in the fact that she cared deeply about him in a romantic way. That he set her soul alight with the rays of sunlight he imparted, and she couldn’t imagine living without that. ( ~~She was decidedly _not_ calling it a crush. Absolutely not. She wouldn't stoop to that level, even if she could die soon.)~~

She couldn't fight the worry that flared in her chest when Blitzen had pointed out Magnus's frostbitten fingers, nor the fear that had hit her when Magnus's Frey powers flickered out as quickly as they were summoned- Magnus's eyes bellying the effort it had taken to do just that. While Alex trusted the divine gifts Frey had given his son, it was worrying to see them failing _already_. 

Alex was freezing. After a while, this whole situation had dwindled down to a battle between her will to live and the potent pain that came with being increasingly frostbitten. Her mad dashes between the water and the lower decks finally getting to her- frostbite finally catching up to her. The pain bit into her skin and stung so deeply she had to fight tears from her eyes as she tried to do the best she could to ignore it. 

It took sitting right next to the _kenaz_ fire for a long time to even slightly thaw out, and watching Hearthstone struggle to keep the fire going told Alex this would be the last time for a while she would be getting any sense of warmth. 

Just as Alex had started to get up to work again, Mallory shouted hoarsely "Hey! Look!" 

As if in a trance, they all turned to look where she was pointing. 

In front of us, the swirling snow thinned. Only a few hundred yards ahead, jutting from the main line of cliffs, was a jagged peninsula like the blade of a corroded ax. A thin line of black-gravel beach hugged the base. And toward the top of the cliff _,_ fires flickered like candles in the wind.

We turned the ship in that direction, but we didn’t make it far. The ice thickened, cementing our hull in place. Above Hearth’s head, the _kenaz_ rune guttered weakly. We all gathered on the deck, solemn and silent. Every blanket and extra piece of clothing in the hold had been wrapped around us. 

“W-walk for it,” Blitz suggested. Even he was starting to stutter. “We pair up for warmth. G-get across the ice to the shore. Maybe we find shelter.”

It wasn’t so much a “survival plan” as a plan for dying in a different place, but the gang grimly went to work. We shouldered all the supplies we couldn’t live without—some food, water, the canteen of Kvasir’s Mead, everyone’s weapons. Then we climbed onto the ice and Magnus folded the Big Banana into a handkerchief. 

Jack volunteered to float in front of us and test the ice with his blade. Alex thought it was endearing the way he resolutely was trying to help under the guise of 'not wanting Magnus to pass out from exhaustion.' 

Alex watched the others pairing up with a sense of flickering panic that she was also going to have to choose a partner. She knew when Blitzen had suggested it that it would end up with Magnus and her pairing up- Sam was just tricky that way. But when her eyes rested on Magnus, who was still unpaired, everything she had been feeling for months bubbled to the surface. He looked kind of sweet huddled under his blanket- blond hair turned grey with the snow, grey eyes desperate as it started to appear to him that no one was choosing him. Somehow she knew that.... that no matter what she did, _it would lead to this moment_. 

And by the gods, if these was her last moments before her second death - she would be damned if she didn't enjoy them. 

So she moved to pull Magnus close under the blanket, going for the beguiling angle as best as she could while she shivered and could barely feel her face. His warmth at her side while she wrapped her arms around him was like he was a mouthful of water in a dessert- good, but not enough to fight the cold that scraped and stung her to her very bones. 

Alex ignored this, holding a blanket over them to block the snow and wind that seemed to come from all sides as her eyes flickered to watch amazement take root in Magnus's expression. 

“Sh-shut up,” she stammered. “You’re w-warm and s-summery.”

Alex couldn't stop herself from blushing, the vulnerability of her clear affections getting to her a bit. But she felt braver with the scarf in front of her face. She soldiered on, unsure what ground she was standing on with Magnus as she tried to remember that this was the boy who looked at her as if she was the stars themselves. 

It was hard to remember her trauma in this cold. There was just the spaces between her and Magnus's warmth, the trudging on of steps as they followed Jack float ahead on the ice, and the stinging that licked it's way up her body like rigor mortis was deciding to take her muscles from her early. 

Each time when Alex took a deep breath and it rattled, Magnus would give a strange look almost akin to chiding- but she wasn't sure what was on his mind with that. 

Alex was honestly surprised Magnus hadn't moved away at this point- he was quite skittish at physical contact, and Alex just tried to take it as a sign that he felt something on his side of the feelings between them that seemed bigger than this lake- bigger than the two of them and all encompassing. 

It had to be. She had believe that if she was going to get this damned confession out before she keeled over from frostbite and died a second time. 

She focused on their past together. That's what people do in romance movies, right? Talk about all the good times they had together? 

Perhaps she was kidding herself, she needed to remember that those good memories existed- that they were just as important to Magnus as they were to her if she was ever going to survive this at all.

“Guava juice,” Alex croaked.

“Wh-what?” Magnus asked, surprised.

“Roof d-deck. B-back B-bay. That was nice.”

“Y-yeah,” Magnus agreed.

“York,” she said. “Mr. Ch-chippy. You d-didn’t know what t-takeaway meant.”

“I hate you,” Magnus chuckled. “Keep t-talking.”

Alex coughed out a laugh. Even stuttering and shivering, he was still happy to engage in banter with her. That was the Magnus she knew. “Wh-when you returned from Alfheim. The look—the look on your f-face when I t-took b-back m-my pink glasses.”

That was more of a stretch- she wanted to see how he had felt at the enormity of her relief. She waited with baited breath for his answer. 

“B-but you _were_ glad to see me?” Magnus nearly pouted. Alex's heart heated up in her chest. Perhaps there was _some_ hope for her frostbite, then. 

“Eh. Y-you have some entertainment v-value.” she bantered back, grinning at the put out look on his face. 

Struggling to walk on the ice, their heads so close together- Alex could feel the weight of the days that would be stolen from them if she died now. It gave her the strength she needed to keep going. 

Maybe fifty yards from the cliff, the _kenaz_ rune sputtered out. Hearth stumbled against Blitz. The temperature plummeted further. Alex broke into violent shivers she never thought possible of her body before. 

“Keep going!” Blitz yelled back to us hoarsely. “I am _not_ dying in this outfit!”

We obliged, marching step by step toward the narrow gravel beach, where at least we could possibly die on solid ground.

Blitz and Hearth were almost at the shore when Alex stopped abruptly. She couldn't go on; not shivering violently like this. She thought she had under five minutes of life left in her at this point, body weak and suffering with the hypothermia and insidious cold she couldn't expel. 

“We—we have to k-keep going.” Magnus encouraged, looking at her directly in the face. 

Alex's breath caught- even now Magnus looked like the sun himself, bright and beautiful. He'd have to keep going without her. She couldn’t get this confession out fast enough and what if she keeled over righ-

And his mouth was right there, warm and inviting... if she could just...

She was kissing Magnus Chase. 

It wasn't the kiss she had dreamed about for months on end, but it brought heat back into her system- something in her chest seeming to crack and bloom heat like a instant heat pack. Heat poured into her insides like liquid clay. The forest fire she had forgotten was bringing so much heat roared up with a vengeance.

The kiss was rough and crackly, but it still fulfilled it's purpose. Alex felt like she had breathed in the beams of sun that Magnus seemed to burn with every single day of his life, the summer that he had awoken in her going overdrive with warmth. Alex wondered if heat stroke was possible in Niflheim briefly, before her mind returned to the push and pull of her lips against Magnus’s. It was everything she had dreamed of and more.

“I wasn’t going to die without doing that,” she said, gasping subtly for air as it felt like new life had returned to her. Magnus was gaping at her, and fear shot up like a firework as she wondered if she had read the situation wrongly. _Did he not feel the same?_

“Well?” She frowned. “Stop gaping and let’s move.”

She refused to wallow in that. If she did it would kill the stray rays of sun Magnus had imparted to her with that, and she was definitely not going to die of hypothermia before she could confirm or deny that fear with Magnus. 

Alex kept the sunlight burning in her chest as long as she could. 

She refused to let it die, even with the fear that was circling her head every time she wasn't distracted with Skadi. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eyo y'all tell me what you think I hope it's ok ? I can't help but think it's not.... idk not emotional enough but you tell me ig lmao 
> 
> 1\. Alex rushing Magnus back to Valhalla after being mortally wounded in the bay with Percy ✔️  
> 2\. The training scene with Sam where Alex volun-told Magnus to help her/him train Sam ✔️  
> 3\. Alex briefly watches Magnus sleep before waking him from Magnus dreaming about her/him✔️  
> 4\. In which when Magnus heals his friends see his memories too (Café 19 healing memory) ✔️  
> 5\. Alex's perspective from when they return from Alfheim (Alex was DEFINITELY worried)✔️  
> 6\. The infamous Niflheim scene (from Alex's perspective) ✔️  
> 7\. Alex's heart is aching  
> 8\. Alex plays hard to get  
> 9\. Alex and Magnus become parents to a bunch of homeless kids


	8. (bonus) hands up for the sun beams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> this is purely because I'm a touch starved gay lmao it's just making out and cuddling
> 
> (they didn't fuck or anything I just write very intensely lmao it seems implied but that's not what happened)

Magnus has never been one for physical touch- he grew up being satiated for platonic touch by his mother, who cuddled him a lot. Some of his fondest memories have been cuddling with his mother in a tent for warmth while camping out in the hills. 

He lost the want or need for it ages ago.

So why does this hunger burn so fiercely? It had taken residence right under his skin, making his heart race with the need to reach out. To bridge the distance between him and specifically Alex, even just for a moment.

It had manifested more fiercely in relation to Alex. He was always trying to get closer to her, find reasons to bump into her or let his fingers linger in even the only more platonic of touches. The words that would ask permission to get closer dancing on his tongue and dying in his throat.

Alex, unbeknownst to Magnus, was struggling with this very thing as well. But for a very different reason.

When Alex was young, her family had never been people for physical affection if any affection was expressed at all. There had been days and continue to be days where she would curl up in bed or a sleeping bag and pull the blankets close, imagination running wild as she tried to pretend it was the hug of someone who loved her- who _cared_.

Alex had shed far too many tears on the subject already. She had endured her skin crawling with the craving for an intimacy deeper than the skin, founded in physical touch that wouldn't be considered near adoration to most people but did to her. 

When Magnus and Alex started this whole 'it's complicated we don't know what we are but we're kissing and like each other' thing it had satiated that craving for a while on the surface level. But... she craved more. 

Being held, being cradled close with small whispers exchanged as hands trailed freely across expanses of skin... feeling far too much for the vessel that is the human body- something ineffable, and bigger than the two of them. 

So when Magnus saw her in that slightly revealing emerald evening gown she wore to their first official 'date dinner' together at an Italian restaurant nearby and had to barely restrain himself the entire time... She had to fight down the feelings of warmth and the sparks of lust that had pooled in her stomach as they made their way back to Magnus's suite. The crucible of sheer adoration, fondness and a slight eagerness that was alight in Magnus's eyes gave the feeling of being wrapped up in a blanket and told her she was loved without actually Magnus having done either of those things.

When they made it back, Magnus's restraint promptly snapped. He stumbled out a question of permission which Alex gladly assented to and their lips met with a magnetism and eagerness that rivalled the solar system's.

It was all wet lips, shivers and gasps, tongue and the taste of the carbonara that Magnus had ordered earlier. Magnus's hands moving towards Alex's waist as they made the three difficult steps to the wall of the open air centre of Magnus's room. Alex gasped in surprise as her back met the wall, meeting Magnus's gaze as the kiss broke for a moment, his gaze all question and ' _is this ok?_ ' in the most sincere and understanding way possible. Alex's heart was melting into a pool of honey in itself, and all Magnus was doing was swiping his fingers through it and she was already gasping and melting- face red and body weak.

Magnus was the same, his joints butter as he pressed close, a smile making it's way onto his face as his lips turned up. He met Alex's gaze again after they stopped heaving for breath, his free hand that wasn't crowding Alex to the wall tucking loose green hair behind her ear as his eyes seemed to ask for permission again. Alex's heterochromatic eyes stared back at him, the stars themselves reflecting in them as it expressed a sort of softness and intimacy that Magnus had once been sure they only made up for fairytales and movies. 

This time Alex took the initiative- she pulled herself off the wall for a moment and closed the distance herself, the rhythm and movement of his lips as intoxicating as the sensations that accompanied.

Magnus burned with the hunger under his skin to _touch taste explore_ every inch of Alex's skin, to get this feeling he's been feeling for nearly a year and half out of his body and into the air between them. To write himself into Alex's skin the way he wondered if Alex would to him. He pulled away with a gentle, almost loving glance, his hands sliding their way up to the sides of Alex's face, his eyes flickering with a sort of closeted mischief as he moved to chastely but adoringly kiss Alex's freckles, trailing them down her neck- and taking his time with some almost dirtily, smiling against her skin as he listened to melodious exhales and sharp intakes of breath - the noises of appreciation and pleasure that escaped without Alex's knowledge or express permission.

_sun kisses dot your skin like you've been blessed, love_

Alex was melting, each touch as if she was clay and Magnus was the potter; the sculptor. It felt like each kiss Magnus was placing adoringly imparted beams of sunlight- as if she would start to glow with the summer sun where he had touched her, kissed her, with warmth she was hard pressed to remember ever feeling before. 

_and you have, dear._

Magnus couldn't have felt more alive if he'd tried. Nothing compared to this, not even the adrenaline that had sung through him when he had taken that dive off that bridge with Surt to his death. It felt like each molecule was vibrating with life- each act a mischievous but charming one. And the noises Alex made at each devoted kiss sent shivers down his spine- he was weak at the knees already and finding it hard to continue pressing up against this wall they seemed to be trying hard to consecrate with their combined emotion. His soul still sung when they parted, slowing down as Alex turned her attention on him- involuntary noises of entreaty escaping as Alex's kisses seemed filthy but pure all at the same time. 

_but did you know? the very stars dance in your eyes, your very soul, darling._

They lay on the bed, exchanging passion that seemed more akin to prayer- to worship of each other. Alex lay, her dress zipper open but not otherwise dishevelled, her head curled up against Magnus's chest as he carded his fingers through her hair. Kisses that ranged from filthy to chaste exchanged so many times Magnus's mouth ached slightly. Alex was caught up in the enveloping feeling of pure adoration and appreciation. It felt like playing with a trapped sun beam of light glowing warmly in her palm. 

_if I am a sun, then you, the love of my life, are the stars surrounding- the ones going supernova with a raw power and beauty like no other._

Tonight had been revelation after revelation for the pair of them. The permission to touch sinking in after months of longing glances and awkward asking for permission and being unsure what affection can be expressed where and how. 

It was that night they had finally come to understand the depth at which they cared for each other. 


	9. (bonus) the warmth we share

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ... fierrochase morning cuddles go!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk I'm in the mood for this, my perfectionist ass is taking ages with the Niflheim chapter so here's an update 
> 
> random discourse: why is being bi so annoying like one day you'll be like M E N ! men dashing and hot :3 but then the next you'll be aggressively like wamen.... women graceful and beautiful :) and tHEN the next be like gender nonconforming people are literally divine what the fuck and the next find no one attractive and everyone annoying and b like 'my first name is absolutely not and last name is please gtf away from me' like someone PLEASE explain it because I certainly cannot
> 
> also can I say a big fuck Uncle Rick purely because he gave me a taste for sunshine boys like NOT Fair now I will have unrealistic standards for men because my types are either: dark haired sarcastic , smart OR funny boys and sunshine boys like Will and Magnus smh the world does NOT deserve sunshine boys at all but we have them huh

The grogginess of waking up never did leave Alex in a hurry. She always felt lethargic and tossed and turned, muscles refusing to wake up - the movement itself prickling the muscles under her skin. So it was always easy to fall straight back into the dark abyss of sleep. 

Magnus, being a son of Frey- a summer god, had always been a morning person. Alex didn't know this, because Magnus could never really bring himself to get up at the crack of dawn when he found Alex curled up against his chest when his eyes opened every morning. He didn't want to disturb the quietude that Alex had between the moment he woke up and the moments she woke up. Magnus would just smile, carding through Alex's wavy green hair slowly as he studied her sleeping face. She always had a peace to her - a stillness to her she didn't have when awake. Alex looked unburdened by any trauma at all save for the bags under her eyes from late nights spent doing pottery or being unable to sleep for something had triggered her, or waking up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. 

But those had stopped happening so frequently with Magnus's unyielding affection, the only real thing now affecting those eye bags being late night pottery sessions that drew on until Magnus could muster up enough energy to coax her away from the wet clay. Magnus swiped under her eyes with the pad of his thumb thoughtfully now, his gaze appreciative as he shifted slightly to attempt to get his arm around her. Sometimes, Magnus was lulled back into sleep by Alex's steady breathing- a feat really, because once Magnus was awake he was generally awake for good. 

Right now, however, he was cosy - a warm starlight humming to life in his veins, a fond feeling of affection having woken in him as he languidly trailed his fingers down Alex's biceps. _These arms had done many things both with him and to him_ , Magnus mused idly with a silly smile slowly creeping it's way onto his face. Leave it to him to be slightly dirty ~~and morbid~~ when trying to be cozy and soft in the moments that he knew he wouldn't get teased for doing so. 

It was a while before Alex's eyes opened slightly, a yawn surprising her and her movements slightly jerky. She always did clench her muscles while she slept, so it was no surprise to Magnus that she was somewhat stiff. She caught him looking, her eyes peeking out behind her semi-closed eyelids; the light streaming in through a crack in the curtains a little too bright for her semi-awake state. 

"I thought you had better things to do than look at me?" Alex asked, trying to go for teasing but it was ruined by a second yawn. 

Magnus smiled indulgently. "Perhaps I lied," he smiled bashfully for a moment as Alex looked surprised. "But then again you're too busy sleeping until noon to notice, sweetheart." 

Alex blushed, burrowing her face in Magnus's chest endearingly to hide it.

"Alright then, _mi amor_." She smiled teasingly, obviously poking fun at him for the endearment before promptly yawning again. 

"Go back to sleep." Magnus chided, warmth on his face and in his heart as Alex quirked her lips into a side smile. He couldn't help but give her a chaste but sweet kiss coloured by morning breath before pulling her close again and pulling the blankets up. "I'll be here." 

And Alex went back to sleep with a smile on her face, feeling a little like a sunset at the beach inside as Magnus's small gestures and warmth made her feel the most loved she had felt in years. 

She drifted off to sleep like a yacht on that very sunset beach. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it's very short


	10. (bonus) steam is still steam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Was listening to 'In the Bed' by Dodie and wrote this and while I recognise it's about wanking, this is NOT what this is about lmao
> 
> (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lApTfFwQWiA) 
> 
> (it is a good song tho it may be about wanking but it's about POETIC wanking so there) 
> 
> Lowkey trigger warning; Alex has eating issues here. Also this is just kind of angsty lmao

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hewwo ! miwster obama? 
> 
> I'm kidding. Sorry for no updates on Monday, I was busy tending to my poor and lovely but neglected wife, Biology. But I now have time for my mistress; writing :)  
> I'm a bit like Anton Chekhov that way. 
> 
> Me rn: I'm so so sorry writing of course I care about you baby! no she's not as important >:(
> 
> Also me: Biology darling, how was your day? What ? No, of course I'm not cheating on you ! *pushes writing's clothes under the bed.* yeah of course! You're the only woman for me :) 
> 
> I'm running on 4 hours of sleep bear with me

~~_Drawing the blinds, thinking of you..._ ~~

Alex was used to the push and pull of muscle as he waded his way through the Valhalla battlefield for the nth time this week. 

What he was not used to, was the deep and gripping pang in his chest as he watched Magnus wander off; holding his own for a while when Alex turned his back. 

The next thing he knew when he checked again, Magnus was on his knees with blood pouring out of every orifice,, writhing in agony- he wanted to scream. 

If he could compare it to something, it would be as if someone had laced his nervous system with millions of tiny hooks, each and every one of them violently pulling and tugging him towards the place where the light was dying in Magnus's eyes. The hooks tearing up his flesh and body with the effort. Pain flaring where nerves were torn. 

~~_Poor lonely mind, it's getting confused._ ~~

Alex resisted with immense effort, returning his focus to the regular push and pull of muscle as he lashed out with his garrotte. 

Slash, whip, twist- move on. Venomous teeth sinking and tearing into muscle.

Don't stop to think about the blood, don't stop to think about the pain he was causing with his hands and a piece of metal string. 

Don't stop to think about the glow that was horrifically dying right next to the tree on the hill that the Floor 19 gang fought their way to every day. 

Alex's body felt separate, a strange killing machine that he was unfamiliar with as it burned and contracted with effort and unchecked emotion. 

It happened every time. 

The emotion would rise and rise and rise and until it spilled over and he would give in, fighting his way- chest burning with the heat and pressure of a newborn star- back to the hill just to stare at Magnus's undead corpse.

It horrified and terrified him to his very soul every single time.

The lifeless and dim eyes, the strangeness of it being Magnus's body but not the miniature sun that pulsed with life that he was. The blonde hair spread out across the grass- looking discoloured and fake, like a wig. Alex dry retched at the memory. 

He'd get chanced upon and go down bleeding - his flesh in shreds in his momentary wallowing. The moment he had stopped being fluid and shifting had been his one moment of weakness. Pain bloomed everywhere and nowhere, tinting and filling the air with an agony unlike any other. 

Alex wasn't sure why he did that. He knew it was just tearing new holes into his heart and psyche. He was starting to have periods of not being able to eat out of the depth of frustration, confusion and pain. The memory of Magnus's lifeless body chasing him from his food every single time. It was a hazy state he returned to on the battlefield every single day since he found out that these practice fights were preparing them for Ragnarok. 

When Alex would wake up from getting killed, he would spend hours curled up and shaking like a tree struggling to stay rooted in strong wind. 

~~_Will you ever lie next to me in the bed that I dream of us in?_ ~~

_If this keeps occurring is that what's going to happen on Ragnarok?_

_I wouldn't be able to handle it if this happened at Ragnarok, that when every instinct in me screamed to help him I let him die because of it._

_My heart bleeds every single time, why can't I get myself to remember it's not permanent?_

Sometimes he'd use the steam a different way, direct it to more positive things. 

Pottery, room decor, causing mischief, dancing. Fantasies of the ways he'd use his hands and lips to reassure himself that Magnus was still in the world of the living. How he'd slow his beating heart with a loving quietude - exchanging slow kisses with him long into the dead of night. Or the days where the steam of anxiety would not stop fuelling his racing heart- but Magnus would help him find a different use for the steam powered pumping of his heart, every second of it singing with divine and lucid sunlight. 

But others... 

Well Alex was sorry to the housekeeping; they were probably sick of him trashing his room to resist the urge to scream in aggravation and a twisted sort of bitterness. 

_Why did it have to be him that first experiences true love when he's dead?_

_Why does he have to come to terms with the fact that the person he cares about most is the same person he's going to have to watch die over and over and over again for millennia, every single day?_

_More importantly, how does he get rid of the dread that comes at the thought of them both inevitably dying at Ragnarok? The liquid, molten suffering of his soul at the thought?_

There was crying. A lot of it. Pottery shards littered the floor with crashes. He knew that they'd pop back up again; these weren't his pieces anyway. 

Every single thing he did was to run from the constant reminder of that empty vessel of Magnus's body he knew he'd be confronted with every single time they had battlefield practice. 

~~_Rewire a dread, this whirring machine._ ~~

Finally, when Alex had died and came back from starvation, Magnus and the others started to take notice of the angry and frustrated stalking, pacing and nervous energy. The same patterns of behaviour Alex had followed when he first got to Valhalla. 

~~_If you can't cool it down, steam is still steam..._ ~~

Magnus tried to reach out, he really did. _Bless him_. Alex softened every time he remembered Magnus's concern, chasing him to eat with a small worried smile. The soft moments where he had urged him to eat with a sincerity that gripped Alex to the bone, his expression open and clouded with worry. 

~~_Do you ever know of this image of you that can soothe me to sleep?_ ~~

Alex held on for dear life to the image of Magnus's concern. Day by day, with the constant reassurance that Magnus was still here- still living, still breathing, still getting flustered over the small things, Alex managed to put the fear to rest. 

While the fear was far from long-dead, at least Alex was managing to eat and sleep. 

~~_What in the world d_ ~~ ~~_o we have at a quarter to four?_ ~~

In the quiet hours of the early night, Alex would settle down to sleep; clutching the memory of Magnus in Café 19, grinning dorkily, between his palms and hold it close to his chest as if his life depended on it. His hands cupping it like a beam of sunlight he was going to take a drink from. 

~~_Such a still, but so real..._ ~~

Magnus was so full of life. Bright as the sun and brighter still. Life sparkled in his eyes and aura as if intertwined with the sunlight that resided in him. 

It would do Alex good not to forget that. 

~~_disconnected but beautifully raw~_ ~~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok but 'if you can't cool it down, steam is still steam' is the fucking RAWEST and most BEAUTIFUL lyric about anxiety wanking you can find you cannot prove me wrong
> 
> Eating curly fries and writing is hard dfiusrtyu
> 
> Sorry y'all for the lack of new content based on the plan, I'm a useless perfectionist and like... idk I can't help feeling a sense of 'This is my version of the story. This is me making mcga mine. It needs to be mind blowing.' 
> 
> Anyway, I kind of tried to include the lyrics as 'aborted thoughts' or 'hidden and repressed thoughts' Alex was having? This is lowkey a songfic lmao 
> 
> I had coffee and am lowkey depressed or panicking idk why but that's what's happening ? I'm supposed to be happy I gave my Bio lab report in :/ 
> 
> Yeah turns out coffee and angst depresso writing do not go hand in hand sfdfds oops


	11. lover, please stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex's heart is aching. 
> 
> Songs: 'The Cut That Always Bleeds' by Conan Gray and 'Lover, please stay.' by Nothing But Thieves

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this tired thank u to my child they betaed this for me and put my concerns about this to rest  
> I hope the angst is ... enough...  
> Anyway today is Monday so update day y'all
> 
> I keep forgetting I want to write an untitled goose fic bc I saw a 'incorrect quotes' fierrochase about Alex getting TOO into untitled goose game and I LOVE IT pls chase me up on this

The bed chamber felt like a coffin. 

If she thought sleeping indoors for the first time in a long time on the ship was hard, this was astronomically difficult to fall asleep in. 

Alex's battle to fall asleep was characterised by three things; her pounding heart and raging forest fire, the black and inky feeling of rejection and self deprecation, and the loud thunder that boomed every time she got close to slumber. 

The kiss from on the ice replayed in her head again and again like a loop of warmth and generator of dark and gripping hollowness. 

If she was being honest, she didn't know what to think. 

Given the fact that Magnus seemed to be getting on well with her afterwards in Skadi's mansion, it told her Magnus had been entirely fine with the kiss. 

At the same time, Magnus hadn't quite reciprocated the kiss either. The very thought of this sent black tendrils of rejection trawling her insides and squeezed her heart tight. 

So it left her with a hollow feeling like her insides had been microwaved. Both warm and empty at the same time, her heart a lump of embers and her stomach clenched and painful like Magnus was gripping it tight and had no intention of letting go. 

_How'd she ever get to thinking Magnus would be interested in her that way? She knew that it was hard for even one person to find love in her, why would such a sunny and beautiful boy like Magnus be any different to anyone else?_

But that was just it, wasn't it? 

Alex had been in the dark for so long it was hard to remember anything else. Many times, she had covered it with mischief and laughter- but it was all a ruse. 

Then the Floor 19 family came along, and she was thrust onto a bright island paradise - with Magnus at the centre of it, pulsing and shimmering with sunlight as he brightened the entire island. 

The others had their own light, of course, but they had never quite shined as bright as Magnus. 

Alex had spent a lot of her time on this island on the shore, gazing into the dark of her thoughts- but all of a sudden there was the comfort of Magnus's sun in her peripheral. Always there, always glittering with joy that he was always happy to provide to her regardless of whether she could provide any back. 

She supposed even the ever-present sun would eventually disappear, right? Explode and leave us all alone in the dark. That's what science told Alex, anyway. 

_But why did it have to hurt so much?_ Her insides wrapped tighter than a drum and chest as if someone had wrenched her heart from her chest, still beating. 

Why didn't she listen when her brain had told her that this was a bad idea? That the forest of her soul she had spent so long working on trying to help grow again after her father, would definitely burn down and there would be no rising from the ashes this time. 

It hurt, but Alex honestly just felt empty. Any hurt she had was buoyed by minuscule balloons of hope- the effects were cancelling each other out so she just felt raw and exposed, like a proffered expanse of skin waiting for the lash of a whip, sorrow and dread filling her up like an empty cup being filled. 

"Hey, are you asleep?" Sam asked, her voice barely above a whisper in their shared room. 

Alex paused a moment. 

"No," She whispered back- her voice small and unsure.

Sam didn't reply for a while- Alex wasn't sure if she had fallen asleep before she spoke again.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Sam asked, clearly sensing the tension in the atmosphere. 

Alex felt like Sam had tore a hole in a sandbag- everything rushing out of her at once. A dam breaking open. 

All of a sudden, she couldn't keep it in anymore. She spilled over - tears leaking as she told Sam about the kiss on the ice. 

"Sam," Alex whispered unsteadily. "It just _hurts_ so much and I don't know what to think anymore. I feel so very lost about what I'm feeling and what Magnus is feeling and so very confused." 

Sam looked sad in the dim window light, but frustrated and welcoming. She moved over to Alex's bed and held her close as they sat up, hands making soothing motions in her hair. 

"Alex... ' _ukht_..." She sighed. "I know it hurts, and I know you want to jump to conclusions because you've experienced this same thing many times before. But... have you considered that he was just _surprised_?" 

Alex sat still for a moment, thoughtful. "He might have been..?" 

"You haven't been as clear about your affections as you could've been, sister." Sam admonished, a small warm smile on her face. 

Alex laughed weakly. "And when were you going to tell me about that?" 

"You weren't ready for more than that, Alex." Sam sighed. "I've watched you struggle with whatever that is holding you back for months, I know how hard it was to even _kiss him_ for you." 

Alex wilted slightly. _Of course_ Magnus was surprised - he had no idea she had been in love with him for months because she couldn't force herself to not cage it in her chest, where she could control it. 

Alex wanted to scream, wanted to rage at many things, but especially herself. How could she be so... so... weak? So selfish?

"But it doesn't matter," Sam gentled, resuming her ministrations with Alex's hair. "I'm very proud of far you've come." She smiled. 

Warmth lit her chest again. Sam was _proud_ of her? 

Alex didn't think she could express how much it meant to her that Sam was proud of her for her emotional growth. How deeply the constant support of Sam had affected her. 

"Remember that." Sam smiled, filling the silence. "I really don't think Magnus... meant to not kiss you back, Alex. He was just surprised." 

"You really mean that?" Alex asked, smiling slightly and hopeful. 

"Absolutely." Sam grinned, taking her pointer finger and touching Alex's nose affectionately briefly before grinning wider. 

As Sam moved to leave, Alex touched her shoulder. 

"Thank you." Alex whispered openly into the dim light. 

* * *

When Magnus came up to her in the early hours of the morning, Sam wondered briefly and idly if Allah had tasked her with sorting out her sister's relationship. 

"Yep." Sam smirked. "What about you? Are you ready to face _Alex_?" she teased, throwing the bait out there. 

Sam just wanted to be _sure_ that Alex's fears were unfounded. She also wanted to know if Magnus truly was as stupid as she was beginning to suspect he was, and had no idea that he harboured feelings towards her sister. 

"Um, what do you mean?" Magnus asked awkwardly in reply. 

"Oh, Magnus..." Sam sighed. "You are so emotionally nearsighted it's almost cute." 

Sam was correct. She only hoped Magnus realised his feelings before Alex beheaded him for being half a brain cell with a pair of legs out of frustration. 

* * *

Alex wasn't sure where she stood with Magnus. She pondered it the whole morning. Was it possible that Magnus couldn't see her feelings for him? 

Perhaps she'd have to be more affectionate with him? But not being too affectionate had gotten her this far... perhaps she should just be herself?

The ground she stood upon was shaky, but Sam's insight had given her solidity - enough to survive the next twenty four hours, at least. 

Mainly, she felt relief for having gotten her feelings out there. Regardless of whether Magnus felt the same or not, she would be okay. She would _have_ to be okay. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Alex rushing Magnus back to Valhalla after being mortally wounded in the bay with Percy ✔️  
> 2\. The training scene with Sam where Alex volun-told Magnus to help her/him train Sam ✔️  
> 3\. Alex briefly watches Magnus sleep before waking him from Magnus dreaming about her/him✔️  
> 4\. In which when Magnus heals his friends see his memories too (Café 19 healing memory) ✔️  
> 5\. Alex's perspective from when they return from Alfheim (Alex was DEFINITELY worried)✔️  
> 6\. The infamous Niflheim scene (from Alex's perspective) ✔️  
> 7\. Alex's heart is aching ✔️  
> 8\. Alex plays hard to get  
> 9\. Alex and Magnus become parents to a bunch of homeless kids


	12. (bonus) honk !

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Untitled Goose game Alex because it's such a hilarious concept
> 
> Song for this: 'Flamingo' by Kero Kero Bonito (it feels like such an Alex song ngl)
> 
> Also half of this is based off the fact that Magnus can canonically talk to animals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm depressed so here you go y'all 
> 
> Based on the incorrect fierrochase quote on Tumblr idk I saw it on instagram lmao:
> 
> Mallory- wHy is there a gOose in the kitchen?!?
> 
> Magnus- … Alex found the game “untitled goose game”. 
> 
> Alex chasing TJ- H O N K !
> 
> I also have the humour of a twelve year old, so expect some dumb jokes here.

There were loud shrieks in the hallway of the Chase Space and the sound of children giggling.

While Magnus was happy to hear the sound of the kids giggling and laughing any day, the shrieks were concerning.

_Come to think of it, he hadn't seen Alex since this morning... ( ~~When he'd left her)~~_

Magnus got up from this month's paperwork in a flourish, happy something could distract him from it. The hallway was crowded, and the teens and young adults seemed to be whispering among each other and laughing. The atmosphere changed slightly when Magnus arrived, the way it does when people in positions of authority do, but since it was Magnus (and Magnus was hardly an ' _authority_ ' and seemed closer to the teenagers than adults) the atmosphere mostly stayed the same except for the slight edge it had taken. People were paying attention to Magnus. 

"Alright, what is this all about?" Magnus asked, a smirk on his face as he hoped that whatever it was, it was something amusing. 

"There's a goose." A young girl shouted from her spot leaning out of her room. 

Magnus blinked in surprise. 

"A what?" 

"A goose. In the Chase Space." An older resident clarified. 

Magnus paused, confused. "Why is there a goose in here?" 

"That was something we hoped you could clarify?" A teenage boy asked, unsure. 

"I literally have no idea why a goose is in here either." Magnus replied, slightly panicking. "Where's Alex? Why has no one told her?" 

"No one can find her. We were going to ask you about it, _padre_." A middle school aged girl asked gently, obviously confused.

She that had only recently joined, and it was interesting how she had joined the others in calling Magnus and Alex _padre_ and _madre_ / _padre_ respectively. On Alex's male days, they seemed to all defer to Magnus as 'pops' in English instead so as to not confuse the two of them. Blitzen and Hearthstone had earned the titles of _abuelo_ and _abuela_ , where Hearthstone was a bit frustrated at being called ' _abuela_ ' when he wasn't a woman, but realised it was a nickname that lent itself to his maternal demeanour with the kids. 

Magnus sighed. "Where's the goose? I'll probably find _madre_ there." ~~(Magnus had no qualms about using the nicknames the kids had given them, as it was interesting how fond they seemed. _However he was a bit irked at being called 'pops' when he wasn't ready for that kind of fatherly commitment yet_.) ~~

"Last I saw it, it was running to the garden." An emo chick shrugged from her spot leaning against the doorframe. Magnus made a mental note to invite Thalia over so she someone from the emo or goth community to talk to, upon seeing her.

"Thank you." Magnus smiled, before rushing down the stairs. _What was Alex fucking up to this fucking time?_

When he finally found the goose in the garden, he was sure that it was Alex. Alex hadn't even bothered to take off her green and pink scarf for crying out loud. 

"Alex, what the fuck?" 

Alex honked mischievously back at him and Magnus sighed, and glanced up at the windows of the Chase Space, where the young adults and teenagers of the Chase Space were all crowded around watching from the garden facing window. 

_"What?"_ Alex honked at him. " _Can't you see I'm busy?"_

Magnus sighed, somewhat amused but also slightly at the end of his rope. 

"Alex, I love you _sweetheart_ , but what the actual fuck are you doing?" he asked, a hand on his forehead like 'look at the shit I deal with.'

Alex honked like she was having a huff. 

" _I'm trying to have some fun?_ " Alex honked, her goose expression slightly guilty like someone who knows they're in the wrong but still going to do whatever they want anyway. " _You've been stuck in that office all day._ " she seemed to pout. 

Magnus sighed again, questioning why he loved her before remembering she did cute shit like this to get him to stop working. 

He let a smile slip onto his face. "I'm not mad, but the kids are a bit confused. I thought we weren't doing magic in front of them?"

" _They don't know it's me though, do they?_ " Alex honked hopefully, obviously thinking she had a chance to continue tramping around as a goose. 

"Not yet." Magnus laughed, reaching towards Alex's neck and tugging at the scarf. "But they will at some point if you continue this charade for long enough. Especially with that scarf on." 

Alex harrumphed, which was fucking hilarious as a goose. Magnus made it known by erupting into laughter before tugging the scarf gently off and folding it around his neck gently. "I'll keep it safe." he promised with a small fond smile. 

"What joke is this for? Or did you do this just to get me to have a laugh?" Magnus asked patting the back of Alex's admittedly very long goose neck. 

" _There's this game called the untitled goose game, and you get to piss people off as a goose and I had so much fun I wanted to try it myself._ " Alex honked excitedly. 

Magnus grinned, laughing outright. "Only you would say that, Fierro!" he rolled his eyes fondly.

Alex huffed, but there was no weight to it- Magnus knew she knew he was right. 

"If you keep at it, you can annoy Mallory and T.J; they're coming to visit in about ten minutes." Magnus winked, grinning as he went to go up the stairs to continue his paperwork and calm the goose-interested crowd. 

As Magnus left, he grinned as he heard an excited and delighted honk and waddling around grass. 

* * *

"BEANTOWN!!!" Magnus heard Mallory shriek from the kitchen. He had hidden out nearby to do paperwork so he could listen to the carnage of Alex's goose fuelled mischief. 

Magnus ignored her, waiting for the appropriate time to intervene in the shape shifting shenanigans, letting Alex have her fun. 

"MAGNUS FUCKING CHASE!!!" he heard Mallory holler. _Ok,_ Magnus thought. _That doesn't sound so good_. 

When Magnus rounded the corner to the kitchen, watching as goose-Alex flapped around wildly as Mallory scrambled onto the nearest kitchen island. Magnus watched as goose-Alex honked at Mallory before turning to chase after T.J. He made his frantic escape through the hallway to the living room.

If Magnus were a better man, he wouldn’t have laughed. But Magnus was not, and he was practically rolling in his laughter as he leant against the door frame- Mallory’s panicked face had been priceless! She looked like a startled tabby cat with her fur standing up, but without any of the danger in getting bitten.

“Why the FUCK is there a _goose_ in your kitchen?!” Mallory shouted with emphasis, her arm stuck out in the direction of where the goose was now chasing T.J, in circles in the entryway.

Magnus couldn’t stop laughing, but had to tone down his mirth to reply. “Alex found the game ‘untitled goose game.’”

Mallory furrowed her brow in confusion. Various honks resounded T.J. led the goose back to the kitchen, where goose-Alex flapped her wings and honked challengingly at Mallory.

Mallory startled. “And what would that be?”

There was a pause as goose-Alex seemed to stare at Magnus, urging him to reply. “It’s a game where you’re a goose and piss people off.”

There was a collective sigh from Mallory and T.J. “Oh of course _Alex_ would try re-enact that!” T.J. commented exasperatedly. 

Alex just honked and bit T.J. 's leg - and was rewarded with a shout of surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This shit helped my depression so hope it helped you too ! Everyone forgets that Magnus is just as much of a bastard as Alex is so ofc if Alex is playing pranks he'd act innocent like he had nothing to do with it but he obviously helped. This is the man who said 'I am judge, jury and thief' like ? homeboy may be kind but he wild don't forget 
> 
> Did I spend time I should have spent studying for my Chinese speaking test for this and binging @ end.cos 's Magnus tiktoks? Absolutely I did, and would do it again for the free dopamine any time. 
> 
> Also if anyone finds the Tumblr post that inspired this can they tell them thanks ? Maybe send them this fic? Would be interesting to see their reaction :)


	13. fic update

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This isn't really an update lmao I'll probably delete this later

Hi ! This isn't really a bonus update or an update at all. I've been busy, Chinese classes have been kicking my ass lately, so I'll update either next week or on Friday~! 

Thank you guys for the comments, they really do give me motivation to finish this fic. 

Here's some bonus chapters I have planned for the future to get excited about: 

\- In which Alex and the Floor 19 gang are bored so they reenact Alice in Wonderland with Alex as the Queen of Hearts and Magnus as Alice because he's blonde (not really relationship-y but fun to write)

\- Where Alex chose the absolute _worst_ time to start referring to Magnus as her boyfriend

\- Alex gets Magnus a phone after hearing him whine about how she and Sam got linked up for one but not Magnus. Chaos ensues. 

\- Alex teaches Magnus pottery after finding out Magnus isn't going to the pottery lessons she made him sign up to with her

\- some more hurt/comfort because I am _such_ a slut for that 

\- Chinese (Daoist) mythology Riordanverse fusion (?) Expect Chinese dragons and Frank Zhang

\- Possible Red, White and Royal Blue AU (Alex as ... Alex [the child of the US President] and Magnus as the Prince of England)

Also ! I'm so fucking excited? This got to 1100 hits???? Wow that's like... 5 concert halls worth of people????????! Thank you omg <3

Thanks for reading ! Regularly scheduled updates coming back next week :) I really need a break 😪


	14. (bonus) the wings you fly on

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> some Mallory and Alex friendship content for you lot !! Mallory feels insecure about her weight, Alex is like '.. girl we're not doing that'  
> I feel like their friendship could've been so much better ! they could complain about girl shit like your nails fucking chipping the week after you just fucking painted that shit- (I'm not salty. Absolutely not.) Or the lack of fucking pockets in women's clothing.. 
> 
> This is inspired by the tiktok trend recently of 'I can't talk rn I'm doing hot girl shit' and then the next part of the video is 'fuck being good I'm a bad bitch ! I'm sick of mfers tryna tell me how to live!' and idk I'm living for it 
> 
> Songs for this:  
> First part: Prom Queen by beach bunny  
> The majority of: Cry about it Later by Katy Perry  
> The meme bit: Girls in the Hood by Megan Thee Stallion
> 
> TW: FATPHOBIA, BODY IMAGE ISSUES, SELF HARM, CUTTING, BLOOD  
> If you want to skip all that there's an authors note (A/N) to indicate the beginning and end of the section there's self harm and cutting  
> There's also a metaphor that uses blood just fyi please read responsibly

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> eyo people I am back! no 'furthering the plan' type stuff ig, I was feeling a bit... eh.... about my own weight so I had this idea about Alex just being supportive because my own friend was being supportive so that's fun 
> 
> I've been chilling ig, some internet friend I've known for 2-3 years decided to flirt with me and then leave me on read for .... almost a week.... like girl what the fuck you can't just do that because now I'm wondering if I said something wrong? it hurt for a while I've been trying to hype myself up with the whole 'ok well if you don't give a shit fuck that then' but I do care still :/  
> update: she texted me back and was like 'no !! you didn't say anything wrong I've just been busy shh!!'  
> but like idk how to feel she still hasn't replied to any messages I've sent her except to apologise for not texting back 
> 
> Me: finally caves and cries out of frustration and confusion because of it  
> Her: finally decides to text me back
> 
> Anyway Katy Perry's new lesbian song is a vibe (Cry About it Later) so I'm mentally on a broomstick whizzing around and having fun
> 
> Sorry the update is kind of late ! Still a bit frazzled but not as much as I was before! I've been working hard on this for 3 days straight when I have had time!
> 
> Also! this fic seems to have blown up in the week I wasn't updating so like.. did someone post about it on Tumblr? I don't have Tumblr so could someone tell me lmao where are you people all coming from omg
> 
> I decided to see where this fic is in terms of hits compared to others and turns out it's on page 14 lmao brain rlly said 'we're getting a bit too prideful let's take it down a peg'

(A/N: TW start)

Mallory had had a long history of being frustrated with her weight. 

On one of her worst days, she had bled out on the bathroom floor from taking a knife to her own fat. Cuts in jagged and inconsistent forms as she traced the angry lines that would be used by plastic surgeons to leech the fat out of her body. 

As if such a miracle cure would solve all her problems. 

She remembers that day clearly, she had been in her bathroom in Valhalla. Angry at herself and angry and all the people who had bullied her in school. Her hands were shaking as she unsheathed her knifes, which reflected her tearstained and harrowed face back at her. Mallory knew that those who bullied her had driven her to join the gang that made her wire up that school bus where she died, but if she was honest, that was just another reason to hate the fat. 

The fat just reminded of her of the many reasons she was stuck here, and not alive having had a long and happy life. 

Mallory had just wanted to do something about the fat. She had wanted to see what she looked like without the weight. 

The hate and anger was so palpable, it seemed to fill the room and choke her back with tears of pain and frustration. Mallory glimpsed her face every now and again in the bathroom mirror and it made her pause every now and again, shocked into stopping. Her body was a haze of _pain_ in its purest form. It felt like hot gasoline dripping through her organs and veins and burning up everything in its path; her insides scorching torturously as her flesh seemed to get eaten by the flames of pain before falling to ashes. 

Mallory had come so far and learnt so much from that particular personal demon. 

She no longer had any reason to believe the seductive things that it whispered. Not when Halfborn and T.J had found her bleeding out and stayed in her room long after her resurrection. They discussed ways they could help, possible things that could help avoid this happening again. Mallory had sobbed into their arms for an indeterminable period of time as they just waited with love in their eyes. They were as constant as a rock in their belief in her and their reassurances helped her climb out of the pit that is the hatred of one's body. 

(A/N: TW end)

But... despite that.... sometimes it's hard not to take a peek back into that pit. 

Small things, like someone mentioning on the offhand 'should you really be eating that?' or 'I'm just concerned about your health.' 

Mallory would usually growl at them to mind their own business. But some days she couldn't quite help it. 

The insecurities about the compulsive eating. The seeming inability to restrain the emotional eating. 

_She had come so far and learnt so much._

Yet here Mallory was, crying about it again for the millionth time this century. 

Some fucker had tried to talk to her about her weight. They were from floor 19, but not the neighbourhood that she knew and loved. 

"I'm just concerned about your health !" he had said. 

Mallory had just wanted to strangle him then and there. She had buried her knife in his chest unrepentantly, growling 'it's none of your _fucking_ business.' Halfborn and T.J. had grinned at her and cheered her on before passing her the sandwich she had wanted from the lunch buffet. 

But that hadn't done anything to dispel his comments. 

It's hard to describe the level of absolute _shit_ it felt and continued to feel like to have someone be an asshole about her weight. It often felt like someone sinking sharp claws and teeth into her flesh, clawing her skin off her bones, mutilating their way to Mallory's stomach and covered in her blood, smiling up at her innocently the entire time. 

With time, the love of friends, family, and herself, this feeling was softened through Mallory's carefully crafted armour of self-assurance that rested beneath her skin. 

This doesn't mean, however, that these things didn't catch Mallory off guard though. 

Like now. 

It wasn't long until there was a knock on the door. Mallory ignored it, she wanted some time to wallow. 

"Don't make me pick the lock, Mallory !" a frustrated but kind voice shouted from behind the wooden door. "You know that I fucking would !" Mallory was unsure if it was possible to pick the magical lock of the doors in Valhalla, but she doubted it would be an obstacle if you used an axe. 

Mallory swung the door open, movements weak and empty of energy. 

And there stood Alex, in a pair of green yoga pants and an very oversized beige hoodie that Mallory could only guess was lifted from Magnus's wardrobe and hadn't been teased it's way _back_ to Magnus's wardrobe yet.

"What?" Mallory huffed, crossing her arms. Alex pushed her way into the room, disregarding the noises of protest Mallory made. 

Mallory sighed, resigning herself to Alex's presence. 

Alex didn't answer her question, and instead went to turn on Mallory's bluetooth speaker and plop herself on Mallory's (frankly amazing) sofa. 

Alex nodded to the extra sofa space. "Sit." 

"If you're going to make me talk about my feelings about what happened at lunch you better know that _is not_ happening." Mallory grouched as she followed Alex's direction. 

Alex laughed. "Nah, you know me! I'm not the feely type either." 

"So then why are you here?" Mallory asked, confused. She had been momentarily distracted from the black cloud hanging over her.

"Let's go to Mennt for dinner !" Alex grinned as she turned up some random fast paced anime song on the speaker.

"Why do you want to go to Mennt for dinner? I thought that was for when we win on the battlefield?" Mennt, being the old norse for 'accomplishment', was the bar at the hotel. It was usually very crowded, so the Floor 19 gang usually only went when they had a reason to celebrate. 

"Because I'm sick of the boys and we don't go out together very often?" Alex asked in a tone that suggested her hope that Mallory would say yes to her plan. 

Mallory narrowed her eyes in suspicion. Wasn't Alex _literally_ wearing Magnus's sweater?

At the same time, Mallory had no objections to it. It sounded better than letting this black cloud of _awful_ storm over her all night. 

* * *

Alex had come over with the plan of distracting Mallory. This was because she knew that it was hard to just directly ask someone who didn't quite like to be vulnerable why they felt absolutely shitty and depressed. 

Also, because she knew as well as anyone the best cure to it was either therapy with a therapist or a friend, or ignoring the shit out of it and having a blast regardless. 

So, Alex dragged Mallory through the routine of getting dressed up for a night out, watching as her mood slowly improved with the various steps of getting ready. 

First; Alex shoved Mallory towards her shower. Showers always were the first step in getting ready, as one needs a clean slate to work on for makeup and hairstyles. Also hair is easier to manipulate when wet.

~~(A/N: Also the stroking motions you use to scrub your skin psychologically lifts your mood because your brain takes it as affection towards yourself regardless of if it's someone else doing it to you or you doing it! This is why skin care routines are good for mentally ill people because it is a consistent routine of unconsciously paying yourself affection ! So, pro tip- if you ever feel depressed, go wash your face ! Go take a shower! Blast your music ! The combination of slight exercise (dancing, which produces happy inducing endorphins) and skin care (psychologically produces dopamine) will buoy your depression for a bit !)~~

Alex had already showered, doing so easier when she had figured out the best way to dispel Mallory's black cloud was to go out and have fun. 

Second; Alex put on some exciting pop music that was more Mallory's music taste and they looked through dresses and outfits. Mennt was hard to dress for, because depending on the day it was either clubbing outfits or semi-formal pub outfits. 

Alex got Mallory to call the reception to ask for the dress code for Mennt that day while she turned the music down and laid a few outfit ideas out on the bed. They discussed for a bit before agreeing on a couple of slip dresses Alex had dug out out of her closet. Alex's was emerald, Mallory's was a deep red. 

They got dressed, doing the normal girl thing of forgetting that they were getting ready and jamming to the music and letting go for a bit while they pondered the accessories and makeup to put on. 

Magnus and Halfborn had knocked on the door during this period, and Alex had grinned, adding the song to 'Girls in the Hood' by Megan Thee Stallion (the only pop song she seemed to vibe with on Mallory's playlist) to the queue for the next one as she waited for the perfect moment to open the door. 

When Alex did, she took a long look at the boys before grinning. 

"Sorry we can't talk right now, we're doing hot girl shit." Alex drawled, before closing the door in their faces. 

She turned around and looked at Mallory, who was laughing already. 

" _Fuck_ being good, I'm a bad bitch, I'm sick of motherfuckers tryna tell me how to live!" Alex screeched out with a hilarious passion, laughing her way through.

Mallory joined in, riding the high of the whole joke. "Wack hoes hate under my pictures on the gram, bitch you better hope I never run across your man !" 

They dissolved into laughter, laughing their way to the vanity in Mallory's room. 

"Alright, let's get ready to leave, it's almost 8." Alex smiled, clinking the curler tongs together. 

By the time they were done, it was 8pm. The girls were making their way down to the basement where Mennt was.

At this point, Mallory had mostly forgotten about the incident from lunch. If she sat without the distraction of Alex for a while, she would remember it, but considering Alex was ever-present, she didn't think back to it often. 

Alex and Mallory passed Magnus and Halfborn in the hallway, and Alex just had to grin because both boys stopped walking out of shock. 

Magnus, bless his heart, was a blushing red tomato, and Halfborn was just as flustered. 

Who wouldn't be? The girls looked _divine_ in the slip dresses that stopped just above the knee; Alex's emerald dress complimenting her hair and her dramatic winged eyeshadow, the interlocking gold necklace that graced her neck fashioned like an ouroboros matching her singular golden eye and the gold detailing on her clutch. She had the garrotte from Sif weaved around her dress like a belt as well. Alex's hair was curled and done so the front pieces of her hair were braided like a circlet on the crown of her head. Alex's outfit and matching easy confidence exuded an _unearthly_ beauty and slinking power that inspired paralysis in both friends and foe alike. 

Mallory, on the other hand, was hot like a plume of fire that could both warm and incinerate to ashes and then some. Her deep red slip dress rode up a little, because it was technically Alex's size, but they had altered it slightly because Alex had been insistent that Mallory would look absolutely stunning in the dress. (And she was right, as always.) Mallory was what would be considered as 'chubby' or 'thicc' but these things only added to her charm. Her size had never negatively affected her looks, regardless of what idiots had told her, and in fact her size helped her both intimidate and comfort people with an ease everyone was always jealous of. Mallory's beauty never failed to inspire emotion in others, and Halfborn had always considered her a work of art that he would never quite get over looking at. 

A necklace of gold with a pendant of a key on it adorned her neck, gold earrings in the shapes of knives dropped from her ears and accentuated her neck. The gold jewellery matched the gold clasp detailing on the red clutch she had also borrowed from Alex. Mallory's fiercely red curly locks were tamed slightly, fashioned into more controlled curls that framed her face. She had her knives strapped to her thighs and hidden under her dress, in (admittedly sexy) Victorian fashion. 

Mallory's outfit made her look absolutely _radiant_ , and a queen in her own right. Seeing her looking like this you could easily believe she was the daughter of the queen of the gods. The look oozed femininity with the promise of violence in a way that captured Mallory's personality. 

Of course, the boys didn't notice all this fashion detailing, considering they didn't have a detailed knowledge of women's fashion and their brains had rather short circuited to just: _wow she's hot... hot damn huh... time to sweat profusely because this is very fucking attractive ookaayyy_

"Are you guys going out?" Magnus asked finally, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. 

Alex smiled a private smile, the one she reserved for Magnus being sweet or endearing. "Yep." 

Magnus took a minute to remember his conversation with Alex before she left for Mallory's room. "Alright! Have fun." He smiled, before practically dragging Halfborn away as he finally managed to stammer out "You look really good!" in Mallory's direction. 

Mallory laughed, her cheeks red as Alex grinned and dragged her towards the elevators. 

"Halfborn was in awe of you." Alex smirked, nodding towards Mallory. 

"So was Magnus." Mallory shot back, beaming. She realised Alex could think she was talking about herself. "Of you, I mean."

Alex chuckled.

There was a moment of comfortable silence in the shitty old norse versions of pop songs. 

"So what's the bet my feet are going to be absolutely dead by the time we're done dancing?" Alex asked, smirking challengingly. 

"Almost absolutely positive they will." Mallory rolled her eyes fondly. "I don't know why you decided on stilettos when you know dancing in those hurt like a bitch."

"Because it's stylish! I feel powerful." Alex smirked. 

"You won't when your feet feel like you've walked through wet concrete." Mallory laughed, looking down at her own shoes. She had been responsible and chosen golden wedges that were stylish and tall but ultimately easier to dance in. Mallory was a more practical person. 

So they danced through the night, trying not to get too smashed. It was through the force of Mallory's responsibility that they managed to make it through only borderline drunk rather than actual drunk. (So, not quite drunk and more tipsy) 

When the night was over, Alex dragged Mallory over to her room for a sleepover, because Alex didn't want Mallory in her own room left to wallow in her body issues alone again. 

By the time they were cleaned up and ready to sleep, Mallory was ready to talk about what happened earlier. This was because a lot more time had passed between the incident at lunch and the time they were going to sleep, and she had had a major confidence boost between those two points. 

"I... don't even know why I'm so bothered about it, I've learnt to shake it off like water off a ducks back, but..." Mallory sighed, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling from where she sat on the couch in frustration.

Alex sighed, grabbing her hand in a sisterly motion. "Hey," 

Mallory looked at her. 

"Healing and growth aren't linear. You can take one step forward and two steps back, and that is entirely okay as long as you keep growing. You've come so far from where you were before, but things are bound to get under your skin every now and again. The difference is in how you react to the things that do, in how much you let it continue to get under your skin. Things happen. The difference is in the growth of how you take care of it." Alex comforted, rubbing a thumb over her knuckles in a comforting gesture. 

Mallory took this in, her demeanour softening as she realised it was completely fine to be hurt by it regardless of her growth. She was human too. 

"And I know in your head when you think about these things, and the feelings of others come before your own because you're the peacekeeper of Floor 19; so listen to the voices that really matter to you and who are trying to help you in the most loving way possible. The fuckwads who try to get at your weight? They don't know you, Mallory. They just don't see the beauty in you, so don't let people who don't love you get under your skin. Even if 99% of the world population didn't find you attractive, that means there's still seven hundred and eighty million people who still find you attractive." Alex gentled. "So chin up, girl!" 

Mallory smiled fondly, her eyes wet with tears that expressed how grateful she was to hear that more than words could. Alex just gave her a nice long hug and made comforting stroking gestures on her back. 

Mallory realised that she had found a sister and sibling in Alex Fierro. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was 'no beta we die like men' lmaoo 
> 
> damn these curly fries really are c u r l y huh
> 
> an ouroboros, for those who did not know, is the symbol of a snake eating it's own tail. It's from ancient Egyptian iconography and symbolises the eternal cycle of death and rebirth. I thought it was cheeky to have Alex wear it because she's literally dead and lowkey reborn lmao  
> Also snake imagery like how Loki continues to get caught and escape captivity in a cycle like he was just made for daring escapes and ultimately getting caught again oop
> 
> Also! I'm fine ! A lot of Mallory's fatphobic trauma is based off my own, but I am in a better place now! I've never cut either, but I imagine the temptation would be harder to resist if you couldn't die in Valhalla..... so ... there's that... 
> 
> Anyway hope you enjoyed the extra long chapter, I spent three days working on it :) 
> 
> Bonus:  
> Magnus and Halfborn after the girls slammed the door in their face: huh?  
> T.J., chancing upon their confusion in the hallway: what happened  
> Magnus and Halfborn: Alex just slammed the door in our faces and said 'sorry we can't talk right now we're doing hot girl shit' and screamed the lyrics to some rap song   
> T.J., absolutely wheezing with laughter: THEY WHAT  
> Magnus and Halfborn: yeah we're confused   
> T.J.: oh my god you absolute BOOMERS have you not seen the meme   
> Magnus and Halfborn: huh what meme  
> T.J.: *shows them the meme*  
> Magnus and Halfborn: oh  
> Magnus and Halfborn, ashamed: we were just like.... must be just a girl thing...  
> T.J.: you two are uncultured swines and I am embarrassed to know you


	15. (bonus) snippets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bonus because I have commitment issues 
> 
> This is based off that one fic I completely forgot the name of but it's a chatfic and this was fucking hilarious lmao
> 
> This is based off the fic 'Whatever this is' by Phantomxlegend , because that fic is fucking hilarious I love it it's very chaotic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2 updates one day ? damn y'all lucky and spoilt for content huh
> 
> I'm tired but on a roll, this is probably going to be short lmao I need to pee and my computer is on 16 percent
> 
> lowkey made friends with one dude who is a waiter at the cafe I like oop, but it's not a 'coffeeshop au' type thing he's way older than me lmaooo

Magnus was complaining because he wanted to be the annoying sibling to Annabeth. It was adorable, and Alex couldn't help but laugh and grin at his antics. 

"I want power." He pouted, his blonde hair falling in his face. 

Alex laughed, booping his nose and making a little noise when he pressed down. Magnus made a little noise of sadness. 

"Stop being a baby then." Alex teased, grinning. 

Magnus straightened, sitting up and making eye contact that could be considered as 'smouldering.' "I will kill you." 

Alex raised an eyebrow, both doubtfully and thoughtfully. "Hot." he remarked, before turning back to his French toast. 

* * *

"Ok but T.J. and Halfborn have such tall energy despite the fact he's like... average height.." Magnus remarked on his and Alex's way to the elevator for the daily battle. 

"You don't have tall energy either, if that's what you're inadvertently asking." Alex teased, pressing the button for the ground level as she glanced at Magnus.

"Alex, you're just plain short." Magnus shot back accusingly. "You have the rage of someone whose emotions are pent up in a whole 5'2 area space." 

Alex dramatically reared back as if affronted, her hand over her heart as if to protect it, before turning up her intimidation factor and staring Magnus down with an undercurrent of teasing.

"Sleep with one eye open tonight Maggie boy." 

And Magnus couldn't help but inappropriately think in response to the idea of Alex slipping into his bed to strangle him, _that's kinda hot tho..._

But also _colour me intimidated._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> brain fried 
> 
> also I got a dragon ring I'm absolutely obsessed with it
> 
> Anyway this was lowkey crack I'm going to go sleep for a week lmaooo

**Author's Note:**

> Hi y'all !!! so, kinda don't have the free time where I'm free from my family to update right now ! (yayyyyy we LOVE homophobia !!! )  
> But rest assured there is content on it's way, just... wait until January 13th ooOOP
> 
> sorry to take another break rip


End file.
